The Claw

The House of Representatives and the Senate from the United States Congress are now both are under the full control of the Republican Party (GOP). The GOP now has a 54-44-2 majority in the Senate and a 246-188 in the House of Representatives. This has been a large topic on in the media and political world today. Many students at SLVHS this year have spent time learning and looking into the political state of the USA. Student Zahira Elmansoumi learned of the control of the GOP by the popular show “The Colbert Report.”

This new switch to Republican majority can affect many people in a variety of ways. For example, it may prolong the movement forward of some laws and acts that our current president, Barack Obama, has passed. This includes the Gay Rights Movement, the change in the United States policy on immigration, and the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare. However, it can also be beneficial to many people through the ideas of the GOP, such as improving trade bills that have been rejected by democrats in the past.

Some students were asked about what they thought may occur in the future with this switch in power: 12th grader Brett Bukowski said,

“I think that it shows that America wants change in total and that people are looking for Republicans to take control of the congress because congress hasn’t been doing well with their ratings and controlling the government and such. I think that Obama is using too much of his authority, as in when he sends bills back to congress. And I think it’s going to be a massive gridlock and I don’t think it is going to help anything, personally. Because there is not a majority on both sides that can have a ⅔ vote if they pass the bill that went to the president and he’d veto it so I don’t think it’s going to impact much until the 2016 election when a new president gets elected, democrat or republican, either one.”

When asked about the potential for controversy with the president and congress, student Zahira Elmansoumi stated, “…there is probably going to be a lot of conflict. However, I think that the Republicans will be more powerful.”

When asked the same question, student Brett Bukowski articulated,

“I think that there is going to be a lot of tension, I don’t think controversies. I just think that they are not going to be able to pass that many bills that they want to, as a republican would want to do it differently than a democratic president, for example raising taxes, a Republican wouldn’t want to do that, they’d want to lower taxes, Obama won’t pass that. So I don’t think there are going to be many laws passed lately, unless they can mutually agree on a topic which is unlikely, unless Obama and them can have the same ideals or just combine their ideals into one bill but I don’t think that is going to happen.”

In the past there have been multiple disagreements and gridlocks because of parties not believing in the same morals or ideas and neither side loosening their grip. We have had these issues ever since the first congress in 1789. This diversity in beliefs makes us who we are today, and will continue on for the rest of our lives.

There are several active political parties in our country: the Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Green, Constitution, and the Libertarians who all want the best for the us, citizens of the USA. Most everyone has a different opinion on the possibilities and likelihoods for the GOP gaining power of the 114th congress, but at the end of the day we all come from the same wants and needs as citizens of this country.

 

By: Andy Wise