US
Election Special US Election Special US Election
Special
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WHY
HAVE AN ELECTION SPECIAL?
The
main theme of Newstalk has always been news and political issue and although
the American mid-term elections matter hugely to American voters one asks
do they matter abroad? The
answer in most years is that they probably did not matter that much, however
the 2002 elections, will likely have a direct effect on us all.
To an extent, the vote will be a
referendum on President Bush with the peoples of American giving a
signal as to whether they think he is on the right track internationally or
whether he should be paying more attention to the bread-and-butter issues.
Therefore, as a result of this election, Bush could emerge with
his hand strengthened for war or worried about covering his back with domestic
issues for the election in 2004. Consequently, we here at NewsTalk have
compiled a brief synopsis of the American system of government.
WHAT'S
AT STAKE?
Senate:
Before the death of Democrat Paul Wellstone in October, Democrats had a 50-49
advantage in the Senate. Thirty-four Senate seats are contested with the Democrats
fighting to hold onto their one-seat. The
outcome in the Senate will largely decide whether Bush can push through
judiciary nominations, including potential Supreme Court nominations, and
pursue his tax-cut plan while leading wars on terrorism.
House:
Republicans control the House, 223-208. An independent holds one seat and
three seats formerly held by Democrats are vacant. All 435 House seats are
being contested. In
the House, fewer than 50 seats are really competitive but the stakes for them
are high, with the Republicans defending a six-seat advantage.
Governors:
There are 27 Republican governors and 21 Democrats across the country.
Thirty-six governorships are up for election. Republicans
will be defending 23 of the 36 governorships up for grabs, including 12 of the
20 races where no incumbent is running. The
Democrats are eager to keep, or even increase, their 50-49 majority, while the
Republicans are just as eager to regain control of what they see as rightly
theirs. With the Democratic Senate the only major obstacle to President
Bush’s ability to push through his agenda, the stakes are very high. In
addition,
there are 200 ballot initiatives in 38 states ranging from election reform and
legalizing marijuana to same-sex marriages and a ban on cockfighting.
RESULTS
George W
Bush and his Republican party scored a remarkable victory in the US
mid-term elections with an
historic midterm election in which the GOP held the House and regained the
Senate. He becomes only the third president in a century to gain House seats a
midterm after Democrats Franklin Roosevelt in 1934 and Bill Clinton in 1998.
Jubilant
rightwingers celebrated as they
swept control of the US Congress
reclaiming power in the Senate and boosting their majority in the House of
Representatives with the
balance of power being shifted in the nation's capital.
All
435 House seats, 34 of 100 Senate seats and 36 state governorships were at
stake. When the new senators are
sworn in on January 7 for six-year termsit
will be the first time in 50 years that Republicans take outright control of the
White House, Senate and House.
The
Republican victory in the battle for the U.S. Senate could produce dramatic
payoffs for the Bush administration on a variety of vital issues, including homeland
security, the federal budget and dozens of judicial nominations. Mr
Bush's proposals for tax cuts, economic reinvigoration, defence and domestic
spending; national security and judicial nominations will dominate the chamber's
agenda thereby putting the Democrats in a defensive role.
Mr
Bush is much strengthened by this result. He should now be able to pursue a
conservative "reform" agenda entrenching tax cuts, and cutting back
social welfare programmes.
The
first order of business will likely to be clearing the backlog of spending bills
that have languished in the Senate for months. Some 12 appropriations measures
need to be addressed, affecting almost every federal agency except for the
Department of Defense.
The
administration is also expected to press hard on the passage of a Homeland
Security bill. President Bush has been at loggerheads with Democrats over labour
issues related to the creation of the department.
But
perhaps the most dramatic change could come in the confirmation of a huge
backlog of judicial appointments with an expected number of conservatives
appointed to the senior judicial positions - this is a legacy Mr Bush is keen to
establish. The Senate has confirmed only 15 of 32 appeals court nominees
submitted by Bush. As of last week, 15 unconfirmed nominees had
languished for more than a year.
The
president will almost certainly pursue oil and mineral exploration of the Arctic
nature reserve.
In
Congress, the Democrats will not be totally powerless. If they build up a
political head of steam they can delay and dilute some of Mr Bush's legislative
ambitions.
However,
the president and his party now have a moral momentum and mandate that eluded
them in 2000.
WHAT
MIGHT IT MEAN TO THE REST OF THE WORLD?
The sweep gives the
president licence to wage a military campaign against Iraq Internationally, Mr
Bush's agenda on the "war on terror", Iraq and trade is likely to be
unchallenged. The president traditionally has a fairly free hand in
international matters as it is.
The administration's
unilateralist approach to trade, the environment and arms control issues that
has so offended European governments is likely to continue and grow.
Mr
Bush is likely to feel less constrained in sidelining the United Nations should
it refuse to provide the kind of tough resolution on Iraq he is seeking.
We invite you
to come along and join us as the impact of the election unfolds and discuss the implications
the results may have upon you, your country and the world.
