U.S. Midterm Elections: How to Respond to the Nation’s Voice

Where has the Obama Wave disappeared to? Although predicted, this has been a very drastic reversal.

In the recent midterm elections, Obama’s Democratic Party suffered historical losses of seats in both houses of Congress. The Republican opposition regained the majority in the House of Representatives for the first time in four years. Likewise, the GOP won enough Senate seats to become competitive once again.

It is the largest defeat since Clinton’s loss of majority in both houses during the 1994 midterm elections. The midterm elections represent the national confidence in the president. The administration must humbly react to the citizens.

Unlike the previous election, which centered on the war in Iraq, this election was centered on domestic issues, namely the sagging economy and employment. The domestic economic situation is that dire. Unemployment hovers around 10 percent, and even when one is hired, pay is low. The budget deficit is horrid. The election occurred within this maelstrom.

The vanguard to this upset was the grassroots “tea party” movement. The tea party movement has claimed that the Obama Administration’s health care reform and financial reforms will place a heavier tax burden on American citizens.

As the movement spread nationally, it attracted many independent voters that were disappointed with the Obama reforms. Furthermore, some say they were instrumental in pressuring Republicans who supported the reforms to distance themselves from Obama.

Given the results from the midterm elections, it is unlikely for the political stalemate to thaw. It is likely to affect Congress’ future ability to address important measures on the economy, immigration and global warming. How will Obama deal with these difficulties?

At the time of his inauguration, President Obama called on America to get away from old politics, by evoking a unified America without Democrats or Republicans. Ironically, the midterm elections worked to highlight the conservative and liberal divide. The will of the people must be digested for rebuilding the current administration.

This is not only a matter of domestic politics. Some worry about the future of non-proliferation, Afghanistan-Middle Eastern policy and Iranian and North Korean nuclearization as die-hard conservatives rise to greater prominence. While there is fear that both sides will become frozen in stubbornness, solving the issues must be the top priority.

We must also look at the U.S. policy toward Japan. As the Obama administration’s foundation is weakened, it is possible that America will look inward at the expense of East Asia. Although the Japanese government claims that relations are not effected by the elections, it is still necessary to keep a watchful eye on Japan-U.S. relations.

Administrations in Japan and the U.S. both worry over domestic politics. There are also still-unresolved cracks in Japan-U.S. relations. Japan must strengthen its relations with the U.S., even as the Obama administration gears up for its turning point.