“Sometimes people use statistics like a drunk uses a light bulb, for support and not illumination. That’s why he would be so proud of Michael’s speech – not only did he use illuminating statistics, he wasn’t even that drunk.” Spoken by Ryan Malone at the Fulton Debating Society’s healthcare debate this past Thursday, the words encapsulate the lighthearted, but contentious spirit of the debate. The debate centered on whether or not a public option would truly be beneficial or not to the people of the United States.

Arguing for the negative were senior Michael Stork and sophomore Brendan Benedict. Sophomore Ryan Folio and senior Ryan Malone argued the affirmative. After a show of hands by the almost full audience in McGuinn 121, Director of Debate John Katsulas determined that the negative team had won.

The debate consisted of four brief speeches, two from each team, and a short cross-examination after each one. Then the audience was allowed to participate and ask questions during a five minute question-and-answer period. Afterwards, one concluding speech from each team effectively ended the debate.

The crux of the affirmative’s argument rested on increasing competition within the healthcare market in order to lower costs and provide healthcare to a larger percentage of the American population. The healthcare market is “too stable” and the competition a public option would bring to the market would be greatly beneficial. In Folio’s opening argument, he called for “transparency and accountability in the market,” benefits that the public option would surely force the private sector to provide. The public healthcare plan would be on a level playing field with private, even though they would have lower administrative and, therefore, lower actual costs.

The negative, first argued by Michael Stork, contended that the affirmative dramatically overstated that lack of competition in the markets. As the affirmative had stated that over 95% of markets had a single seller controlling 30% of the market share, the negative cited the sheer number of private sellers – over 1,300. In addition, Stork argued that 30% is not even close to the percentage required to constitute a monopoly. Over 75% of Americans are happy with their private insurance. Th e negative argued that the costs are not rising because of a lack of competition, but because of the rising costs of innovation.

Ryan Malone, for the affirmative, then answered that competition was not a “pre-existing” condition in the healthcare market and he then quipped that the public option “will only kill monopoly… and old people.” Sarcasm aside, he then addressed arguments that stated that a single-payer system was the only possible outcome of a government-subsidized public option. People will still have the right to choose between public and private; the public option will never replace the private sector.

Brendan Benedict answered for the negative, saying that the public option will only be able to off er lower prices because of government subsidies, and “everything the government runs, it runs into the ground.” He explained how the demise of the private sector was inevitable, and the short steps the government would need to take turn the system into a single- payer one. Benedict also predicted the collapse of innovation in a system that included a public option.

The concluding speeches summarized the preceding arguments, and then the audience voted. Afterwards, Ryan Folio told The Observer that preparing for the debate is a “week-long process,” and that healthcare was chosen because “it’s contentious today.” He argued for the affirmative view, which is his true view on the issue. Brendan Benedict however argued for the negative, despite being pro-nationalized healthcare in reality.

The Fulton Debating society was established soon after BC was founded, and acquired its name in 1890. The team travels to tournaments several times a year, and holds debates at BC around 3 times each semester. On November 16th, they are debating the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.

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