Moving Forward

     After dominating the 2014 Midterm Elections, Republicans arena facing a new obstacle in front of them- how to become more Liberal? Now that the Republicans have gained control of both the Senate and House, their main focus is to stay in control moving forward. By doing that, Republicans need to figure out ways to focus on becoming more moderate, yet remaining conservative. They need to maintain a good balance in-between to target more groups of people and acquire more votes in the long run to secure their positions. One issue in particular that has been grabbing peoples’ attention, and especially the Government’s is the legalization of marijuana. Obama and his administration made it clear from the beginning that he would not enforce the federal law banning marijuana. He left it up to the states, and now you can see some states ran with it and began to legalize it, and now other states are considering it after seeing the amount of money the states where it was legal were able to raise through taking the product. This is a topic that the Republicans are going to have to face sooner or later. Republicans are conservative and relatively stand on the side opposing legalization of the plant. Along with many other issues the Republicans are going to have to figure out how to become more open on certain issues that normally they are opposed to.

Unlike Obama’s administration, the last Republican administration under George W. Bush strictly enforced the law making Marijuana illegal. People began to see the connections that when a republican was in office the plant was banned,but now with a Democrat in control the government is letting states decide the fate of legalizing it or not; and now are curious to see what a Republican will do if elected as President. Since then Republicans have changed, slowly but surely becoming more moderate instead of conservative. There is sill a few republicans in the senate and house who are still very far right, but some new faces are starting to stir the pot on this issue of legalizing marijuana. For states like Washington, Colorado, and California the officials prior to the elections were mainly democratic, and now with the Republicans taking over it will be interesting to see how things change, they might just stay the same. These new, younger Republicans are starting to put the connection together to become more moderate so they can not only appeal to their party but also the people.

Recently in Washing D.C. there was vote to legalize marijuana in the Nations Capital. While little fell that congress with allow the bill to pass, Dana Rohrabacher Republican from California, has been the conservative’s strongest voice on the issue of legalizing marijuana. She is a Republican leaning closer to the middle as she joined with a group of Democrats in calling Congress to stand aside and allow the legalization to happen. Where as the representative from Maryland, Andy Harris who is also a Republican threatened to sabotage  Rohrabacher’s initiative by attaching a rider to another piece that could prevent the legalization. D.C.’s mayor Muriel Bowser thinks that there should be legislation passed to regulate and tax marijuana before Congress reviews Rohrabacher’s proposition. Others think that there are more important issues to focus on such as immigration, creating job opportunities, and working together to accomplish more. People think Congress should just let it pass and open the doors for what some are calling inevitable, which is the legalization of marijuana. In the end some officials are to worried about getting re elected or trying to impress ones respected parties. While others are working to become more moderate and willing to work with opposing party officials.

    Rohrabacher is a great example of officials working to become more liberal and moderate. She is showing not only her fellow officials her will to compromise, but also the people. The citizens will notice how a Republican is pushing for marijuana legalization and working with Democrats. By doing that Rohrabacher is sowing people who primarily vote Democratic that she too has a side of her that is leaning towards the Democrats. This way she exposese herself and coming in the next elections when people are voting they will have her in mind. She could possibly receive more votes from voters who are political must, never choosing a side always going whats in favor of them. They are a little bit of a mix of each party. Rohrabacher understands that she is going to have to become more moderate in order to continue to be elected in the coming years.

      Republicans need to take notice of Rohrabacher and what she is doing. They as a whole need to come together and realize they can continue to stay strictly conservative if they want to stay in control. Republicans have to become more liberal in order to stay in control. They ned to find ways to appeal to all people, not just some. There have been others who have began to step forward and begin the process of becoming more Liberal. They new younger Republicans are having no issues adapting to the changes, but the older ones are still finding it hard to change. Its like the saying and old dog can't learn new tricks; if Republicans want to stay in control then those old dogs better try something because there can't be a split between members of the same party. They need to expand themselves and reach out to different groups of people rather than the ones who they are familiar with. Once they figure that out, they will have a good chance of continuing to rule the Senate and House, and possibly the Presidency.