Liberty University’s College Republicans club hosts “Coffee with a Democrat” panel-style event
Two Republicans and a Democrat sat down over coffee and doughnuts April 8 to find common ground on polarizing political issues. Liberty University’s College Republicans hosted University of Lynchburg’s College Democrats for “Coffee with a Democrat” — the final event of the semester for the club.
Representatives from the two clubs engaged in a panel-style conversation to discuss the political climate and issues such as immigration reform, the education system, welfare and race relations.
“Our goal for the event was not for it to be a debate, but (to) find common ground on contentious issues between Republicans and Democrats,” College Republicans Chairman Tim Murcek said. “I think we succeeded in seeing that brought (to) fruition tonight.”
College Republicans Secretary Alexa Whaley moderated the event. The panel consisted of Murcek and First Vice Chair Jessica Hughes, as well as University of Lynchburg College Democrats President Carter Elliott IV.
Elliott is a Lynchburg native and the founder of University of Lynchburg’s College Democrats club.
Elliott, Murcek and Hughes engaged in discussion on some of the most controversial topics in modern politics.
Members of College Republicans listen in as representatives from both parties engage in conversation.
“Our culture is so polarized that we won’t even listen to each other,” Murcek said. “Having a setting where we can casually sit down and talk about issues that often raise passionate debate and (find) common ground on them (is) important to actually getting good policies passed.”
Though the three panelists did not agree on every political issue, they found they have more similarities than they thought.
“We found a lot of common ground, and that’s really important,” Elliott said. “It’s always possible to have civil discourse.”
Conversations like this do happen in the nation’s capital, but Elliott said the younger generation does a better job with bipartisan engagement.
“I really think that the young people do (bipartisan conversation) a lot better than the older representatives we have in Congress,” Elliott said. “It’s honestly really eye-opening, and it makes you feel a lot more comfortable about the future.”
Murcek said this kind of discussion is essential for the nation to reach solutions.
“I think one of the biggest issues we face in America today is that we don’t pass good policy or legislate properly and execute good laws because we refuse to listen to each other,” Murcek said.
The panelists agreed that the immigration, education and welfare systems need reform. They also discussed possible ways to improve race relations from the perspective of both parties.
Murcek said immigration reform is one of the most prominent issues of today that will require the most bipartisan cooperation.
“We kind of all want the same end game, but we have different ways of getting there,” Murcek said. “If we tackle the issue from a bipartisan perspective, we’d get a lot more of what both parties want out of that.”
Effective bipartisan communication also applies to the American public. Murcek said it is unhealthy for the culture when people do not communicate with those of different views. The speakers encouraged the audience to go out and meet their neighbors to realize the true state of society.
“It all starts with treating people as people,” Elliott said. “We’re all in this together, whether we like it or not. We all share this earth together. We share this state. We share this community. … I think it’s important for people to realize that even though you disagree with somebody, they can still be a good person and you can still respect them.”
OVER A CUP — Alexa Whaley moderated the meeting between College Republicans and College Democrats.
The panelists may differ in their view of policy, but they all strive for the betterment of society and the preservation of the American Dream.
As for their own parties, Elliott and Murcek encourage their partisan leaders to communicate and cooperate with one another. Murcek said the most effective legislators are those who reach across the aisle for solutions.
“Be open to compromise and just be open to listening to the other side,” Murcek said. “It all starts with having an open ear. …That’s really the root of creating good government policy.”
For more information on Liberty’s College Republicans club, visit its Instagram or Facebook page.