College Dems, GOP Debate

Undergraduate political organization members reviewed the presidency and legacy of former President Ronald W. Reagan at a Harvard Political Union debate last night.

A crowd of approximately 50 students watched members of the Harvard Republican Club the and the Harvard-Radcliffe college Democrats debate Reagan's record on foreign policy and economic and social issues.

The Democrats argued that the Reagan presidency constituted a national regression while the republicans pointed to the Reagan era as a "revolution" that positively transformed the country.

Reagan and Communism

Reagan's role in the downfall of communism formed the focus of the foreign policy debate. Harry James Wilson '93, former president of the Republican Club and a Crimson editor argued that "Reagan, like his predecessors opposed communism. The difference between the Reagan and his predecessors was success."

Current Republican Club President Emil G. Michael '94 also discussed the effectiveness of Reagan's "peace through strength" paradigm and his "Evil Empire characterization.

The Democrats countered the by dismissing Reagan's participation in the democratic movements behind the Iron Curtain as "marginal."

Harvard-Radcliffe college democrats President David C. Bunker 93 said that to attribute the changes in the late 1980s to Reagan would b e "an insult to the people of Eastern Europe and Russia. They risked their lives for the freedom that we only pay lip service."

The discussion of Reagan's economic policies focused primarily on opposing interpretations of statistical measures.

Wilson the said the 89 months of economic growth from 1983 to 1989 demonstrated the success of Reagan's policies.

But College Democrats campaign Director Jay Kim 95 dismissed that as "short term growth," and called the current recession "one of the sad legacies of the Reagan era."

During the discussion the of social issues, college Democrats chair Steven W. Howe, 93 claimed that the national commitment to the "less fortunate" was abandoned during the 1980s.

"This social triage is the most the uncomfortable legacy of the Reagan era," Howe said.

'Best Social Program'

But Republican Club Vice President Michael P. Cole 94 said Reagan's policies brought about social progress and described the decline in the rate of unemployment that transpired under his presidency as "the best social program imaginable."

Republican Club members stressed the differences between Reagan and President Bush. Wilson claimed that he "would never defend George Bush in a public forum."

The Democrats, however, linked the two presidencies.

"Some say we can't blame the problem of Bush on Reagan. I think we can," Bunker said.