An Expected Defeat

During the United States legislative elections on Tuesday, there were few surprises. The positive result achieved by the Republican Party, driven by the radical discourse of the faction called the tea party, should be seen as an expression of the dissatisfaction with President Barack Obama and his supporters in the Capitol.

Even though the White House can demonstrate positive reforms that could be considered historic in terms of health and finance, the administration has failed in that it has not known how to communicate them.

It has also produced visible results in the creation of jobs and reactivating the economy, which are vital areas for voters whose lives are very affected by these problems.

With an advantage not seen since 1948, the Republicans regained control of the House, and one of them, probably John Boehner, will be the Speaker of the House, which is the position now held by Nancy Pelosi. Some comfort to the Democrats is not having lost the Senate and thereby retaining their ability to block the initiatives coming from the lower house. However, it’s a double-edged sword because if they can’t reach agreements in specific areas, the country could find itself in legislative paralysis. Even more so when the Republican’s main promise is to bury Obama’s fundamental reform propositions.

In Colombia, some analysts see a light of hope in the Democrats’ setback regarding the progress in the U.S. Congress of the Free Trade Agreement, which has been better received among the Republicans. We have to give it a reasonable amount of time. The tea party leans more toward protectionism than toward free trade, and with unemployment around 10 percent, the initiative does not have a smooth road ahead.

On the other hand, the well-known referendum to legalize the production, purchasing and use of marijuana did not pass. There are still a lot of concerns and the government’s efforts had an effect. However, the debate continues, and it will be back on the ballot in two years.

That the party in power lost the congressional majority in the midterm elections almost always happens in United States politics.

As was shown by Bill Clinton, even after losing Congress, a president can get reelected. However, Obama will have to take on the task of renewing his electoral capital and produce the results his citizens are demanding.