The political implications of the shooting of U.S. Senator

International observation

Sensitive immigration policy divided the American people into two incompatible groups.

For the members of the U.S. Congress who just took up the post, the shooting incident in Tucson, Arizona is a shocking event. Furthermore, it casts a shadow over the new session of Congress that has just begun.

For the American people, it evokes painful memories. In the country’s history, there have been four U.S. presidents who were assassinated during their term of office, among which Lincoln and Kennedy are the most famous.

Although the motive of the murderer is still unknown, the political color of the entire event is very strong. First of all, it is a rare assassination of politician in the United States in recent years. In addition to serious injury that Gabrielle Giffords, a Democratic and female member of the House of Representative, received, death was brought upon another federal judge. Giffords who is only 40 years old is a new political icon for the Democratic Party and a popular candidate for the next session of the Senate. Her assassination attempt is a big blow for the Democratic Party.

Secondly, the murderer has significant anti-government tendency and political appeal. Police revealed that the 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner has a history of mental illness and violent tendencies, and strong interests in political issues. His atrocities are very likely directed against the immigration policy advocated by Giffords. According to the description by the classmate of Loughner, he has always kept everything to himself and his political thoughts are very extreme, regarded by many as “political extremist” and “a loner.” Interestingly, in Loughner’s social networking site, one page had a photo in which a pistol is placed on a book called “American history”.

Moreover, Loughner has been transmitting some anti-government information recently, and had also left a quite interesting farewell speech before. According to an eyewitness, the gunman is obviously targeted at Giffords and his expression is very firm that he seems to be completing some kind of mission.

Giffords assassination attempt also seems to be related to her political view. As a cutting-edge character of the Democratic Party, Giffords has strongly supported individual gun rights and is committed to the implementation of more stringent immigration bill in Arizona, strengthening of border security measures, identifying illegal immigrants within the country, prosecuting and deporting them. It has caused huge controversies in Arizona.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that District Judge John Roll who was killed in the shooting also participated in activities that promoted the immigration bill, and also received death threats in the past. In the mid-term elections in November last year, Giffords won by a narrow margin, and the decisive issue in this election is also immigration.

This is also where Obama worries deeply about. In the past two years, the health insurance reform enforced by Obama led to significant divergence in American society and two parties. The sensitive immigration policy further divided the American people into two incompatible groups. In the context of high unemployment and feeble economic recovery, this social divergence implies a hidden danger. Giffords assassination attempt will inevitably lead to public’s reflection on immigration policy. Federal and local immigration policy may be kept under a low profile over a period of time.

For Obama, the start of 2011 is not good. In addition to the transfer of official control of the House of Representatives to the Republicans, Giffords, his supporter on health reform and other issues, also encountered misfortune. This also made it necessary for him to place unity on the key position, not only to keep good relationship with the Republican party, but also to bridge the social rift caused by health reform and other issues as much as possible.

Guoqing Zhang (scholars)