Democratic and Republican student groups met Wednesday to try to find common ground on a subject that usually leaves the two groups with swords drawn.

Dirk Deam, lecturer in political science, spoke to a crowd of almost 50 about the actual meaning of the word politics.

Hannah Schoenthal-Muse, president of the ISU Democrats and senior in liberal studies, said the meeting was a chance to focus on the science of politics and not the issues.

Josh Reicks, president of the ISU College Republicans, agreed, adding it was also a chance to increase involvement in politics in general.

Reicks, senior in political science, said he thought students were too laid back about politics, choosing to watch rather than get involved.

“On a campus of 27,000 people it’s hard to find a political argument anywhere,” Reicks said.

In a room divided by party lines, those from the left sat on the left and those from the right sat on the right, at Deam’s request.

Deam said he named his lecture “Reinvigorating the Republic” because he hoped to inspire people to become active in politics again.

“The republic is a creature of politics and it’s not a passive creature,” Deam said.

He said the word politics has drawn on new meanings over the years and has come to have a negative connotation. Deam said he was there to give back its true meaning.

“Part of the problem is we don’t know what politics is,” Deam said.

“What I want to suggest is, far from being the problem, politics is the solution,” he said. “We have really no choice tonight but to have politics save us.”

He emphasized four ideas: action, publics, power and leadership.

Deam fired questions at each side of the room, distributing criticism to both the left and the right.

The meeting went on without conflict until the question, “Do you guys think Bush is a good leader?” came from the Democrats.

There was a moment of silence and then hands flew up on both sides of the room.

Republicans defended the president while Democrats hurled accusations about a lack of leadership in the Bush administration.

“What’s he doing now?” shouted the left.

“What are you doing now?” shouted the right.

Deam calmed the storm, reminding all to stop fighting with each other and focus their energy on being politically active.