What to Grasp from the Free-for-All US Presidential Election
Published in Nihon Keizai Shinbun
(Japan) on 23 January 2012
by (link to original)
(Japan) on 23 January 2012
by (link to original)
Translated from
by Richard Burck.
Edited by Steven Stenzler.
Looking ahead to November’s presidential election, President Obama and the presidential candidates of the opposing Republican Party are taking heat. Even as Japan watches the debates, it wants to read warily into the undercurrent trends of U.S. public opinion.
In South Carolina, the third state to hold an election, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was declared the winner. Senator Rick Santorum won the first round in Iowa and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney won the second state: New Hampshire.
Finally, there are many observing the fight between speaker Newt Gingrich and the financially fit Mitt Romney — an exceptional race, with attacks beginning one after another and the leading candidate frequently changing.
The greatest issue is business recovery and financial reform. Each conservative candidate is running to reduce taxes and regulations.
To be able to foresee the course of national security policy immediately from the debate is not a simple task, but one end can be noted.
Firstly, the distinguished Congressman Ron Paul, who won third place in Iowa and New Hampshire, is feeding the fire of temptation for U.S. isolationism during the prolonged recession.
Congressman Paul wants a small government and calls for the complete withdrawal of the U.S. military overseas. Despite his many extreme assertions, the congressman’s support in the U.S. probably should not be taken lightly.
Romney and other Republican candidates are drawing the line on isolationism. Trying to distinguish themselves from the moderate Obama administration, they tend to take an aggressive hard line on foreign policy and national security.
For example, if Iran refuses to abandon its nuclear development, requests for an attack will be issued. In the middle of this free-for-all race and the detailed policy debate, elaborate slander attacks are increasing.
This year there were leadership changes and elections in countries like China, Russia, France and South Korea. The world hopes for such important turning points and more calm debates.
Peace and prosperity will not exist in the Pacific Rim without strong U.S. participation and military presence. Regarding the foreign policy and national security debate, based on the viewpoints of allied countries, even Japan supposedly wants the dialogue between the Obama administration and the Republican Party to increase.
In South Carolina, the third state to hold an election, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was declared the winner. Senator Rick Santorum won the first round in Iowa and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney won the second state: New Hampshire.
Finally, there are many observing the fight between speaker Newt Gingrich and the financially fit Mitt Romney — an exceptional race, with attacks beginning one after another and the leading candidate frequently changing.
The greatest issue is business recovery and financial reform. Each conservative candidate is running to reduce taxes and regulations.
To be able to foresee the course of national security policy immediately from the debate is not a simple task, but one end can be noted.
Firstly, the distinguished Congressman Ron Paul, who won third place in Iowa and New Hampshire, is feeding the fire of temptation for U.S. isolationism during the prolonged recession.
Congressman Paul wants a small government and calls for the complete withdrawal of the U.S. military overseas. Despite his many extreme assertions, the congressman’s support in the U.S. probably should not be taken lightly.
Romney and other Republican candidates are drawing the line on isolationism. Trying to distinguish themselves from the moderate Obama administration, they tend to take an aggressive hard line on foreign policy and national security.
For example, if Iran refuses to abandon its nuclear development, requests for an attack will be issued. In the middle of this free-for-all race and the detailed policy debate, elaborate slander attacks are increasing.
This year there were leadership changes and elections in countries like China, Russia, France and South Korea. The world hopes for such important turning points and more calm debates.
Peace and prosperity will not exist in the Pacific Rim without strong U.S. participation and military presence. Regarding the foreign policy and national security debate, based on the viewpoints of allied countries, even Japan supposedly wants the dialogue between the Obama administration and the Republican Party to increase.