Washington Post (August 21)
“For foreign countries that have made big bets on Donald Trump’s presidency — such as Russia, China, North Korea and Saudi Arabia — the U.S. midterm elections pose a significant problem: Trump’s maneuvering room may be sharply limited if Democrats win control of the House.” The Republicans hold on power looks “so precarious, that foreign commentators are debating what GOP losses in November could mean.”
Tags: China, Democrats, Election, Midterm, North Korea, Precarious, Republicans, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Trump, U.S.
CNN (November 10)
“Donald Trump’s populist campaign didn’t always square with his past statements. And that makes his agenda as president anybody’s guess.” His fluid positions “could give the businessman an edge in making legislative deals…. Or it could halt action in Washington completely if he finds himself at odds with both Republicans and Democrats.”
Tags: Agenda, Deals, Democrats, Guess, Past, Populist, Positions, Republicans, Trump, U.S., Washington
Philly.Com (July 27)
After the Democratic National Convention got off to a rough start, the party is reuniting, though tension remains. “Amid enduring dissent, some of the convention’s most successful moments so far have appealed to unity among people—including the kinds of people, like undocumented immigrants and the disabled, who have been targeted by Trump’s divisive rhetoric.”
Tags: Convention, Democrats, Disabled, Dissent, Immigrants, Successful, Tension, Trump, Unity
Wall Street Journal (June 18)
“Hong Kong democrats celebrated Thursday as the city’s legislature blocked passage of the Beijing-backed election law that sparked last year’s 75-day mass protests.” In response, Beijing’s tactic will probably risk “further alienating the people of Hong Kong from the mainland. The more Beijing paints its opponents as radicals and revolutionaries, the more it risks creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
Tags: Beijing, Democrats, Election law, Hong Kong, Legislature, Mainland, Radicals, Revolutionaries
New York Times (November 12)
Only 36.3% of U.S. voters even bothered to vote in last week’s election. “The abysmally low turnout in last week’s midterm elections — the lowest in more than seven decades — was bad for Democrats, but it was even worse for democracy. In 43 states, less than half the eligible population bothered to vote, and no state broke 60 percent.”
New York Times (November 6)
“The Democratic brand did not fare well” in Tuesday’s elections that broadly swept conservative Republican candidates into office. When asked to vote on policy issues, however, “voters made notably liberal decisions in both red and blue states,” passing liberal initiatives ranging from environmental initiatives and gun control measures to legalizing marijuana. These initiatives “were directly at odds with the positions of many of the Republican winners.”
Tags: Conservative, Democrats, Elections, Environment, Gun control, Liberal, Marijuana, Policy, Republicans, U.S.
New York Times (November 12)
Only 36.3% of U.S. voters even bothered to vote in last week’s election. “The abysmally low turnout in last week’s midterm elections — the lowest in more than seven decades — was bad for Democrats, but it was even worse for democracy. In 43 states, less than half the eligible population bothered to vote, and no state broke 60 percent.”
The Economist (February 22, 2014)
“If not championed by leaders who understand its broad benefits,” free trade “will constantly be eroded by narrow economic nationalism. Mr Obama now appears to be surrendering to protectionists within his own party. If he cannot drag Democrats back to their senses, the world will lose its best opportunity in two decades.” Estimates have placed the combined benefit from the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) at $200 billion for the U.S. alone and $600 billion worldwide.
Tags: Benefits, Democrats, Free trade, Leaders, Nationalism, Obama, Opportunity, Protectionists, Surrender, TPP, TTIP, U.S.
Los Angeles Times (December 22, 2013)
Following previous battles, one of which recently shut down the U.S. Government, many were encouraged that both parties cooperated in Congress to smoothly pass a budget before the New Year. It would, however, be naive to assume this heralds a new spirit of bipartisan cooperation. “Next year is unlikely to get better, for one simple reason: It’s a congressional election year…. Getting Democrats and Republicans to agree on anything will be harder than ever.”
Tags: Bipartisan, Budget, Congress, Cooperation, Democrats, Election, Government, Republicans, U.S.
Washington Post (October 8)
John Boehner, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives “doesn’t know how to get out of the predicament. A shutdown is bad; a default on the debt, which looms 10 days from now, could be catastrophic…. At some point, Mr. Obama and the Democrats will have to throw the speaker a lifeline…. But throwing a lifeline is pointless until the victim realizes he may be drowning. It’s not clear the Republicans have reached that point. The danger is they will take the country down with them.”John Boehner, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives “doesn’t know how to get out of the predicament. A shutdown is bad; a default on the debt, which looms 10 days from now, could be catastrophic…. At some point, Mr. Obama and the Democrats will have to throw the speaker a lifeline…. But throwing a lifeline is pointless until the victim realizes he may be drowning. It’s not clear the Republicans have reached that point. The danger is they will take the country down with them.”
Tags: Danger, Debt, Default, Democrats, House, John Boehner, Lifeline, Obama, Predicament, Republicans, Shutdown, U.S.
