News Analysis: How Will Midterm Elections Affect US Policies

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, November 09, 2002

News Analysis: How Will Midterm Elections Affect US Policies

After the US midterm elections, the Republican Party has not only strengthened its majority in the House of Representatives, but also regained control of the Senate.

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After the US midterm elections, the Republican Party has not only strengthened its majority in the House of Representatives, but also regained control of the Senate.

The victory is a repeat of the history in 1957 when the Republican Party under then President Dwight David Eisenhower tookcontrol of the House and the Senate in the midterm elections, and will inevitably impact US domestic and foreign polices.

With both the White House and the two chambers in one party's hands, President George W. Bush and the Republican Party now find themselves in a much comfortable position to push through their policies in Congress.

Some analysts here said the Bush administration's domestic policy may turn more conservative, and its foreign policy could become even tougher and more unilateral.

Bush and Republican congressional leaders have reportedly agreed on a number of priorities for the Congress, which include setting up a new Department of Homeland Security, renewing push toallow oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, banning human cloning, and approving the president's judicial nominations stalled in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

The president met with Senate Republican leader Trent Lott and House Speaker Dennis Hastert at a White House lunch on Friday, vowing to complete the homeland security proposal when lawmakers return to work next week.

At the first post-election press conference on Thursday, Bush said this legislation was his top priority. The election results showed that "people want something done," he said. "The election may be over, but the terrorist threat is still real."

The ramifications of the midterm elections on US diplomacy haveto be examined in perspectives. On the one hand, the election outcome will bring no fundamental changes to the foreign policy adopted by Bush since he assumed office nearly two years ago. On the other hand, it could encourage the Bush administration to takea tougher and more unilateral approach in diplomatic affairs, analysts said.

The Bush administration has evolved a tough and largely unilateral approach in dealing with diplomatic affairs and security issues, especially in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The policies, characterized by unilateralism, preemptive strikeand a determination to seek absolute US military supremacy, were formulated prior to the midterm elections and may well be kept on track regardless the outcome of the balloting.

"I don't know there are any changes of drastic nature coming," US Secretary of State Colin Powell said in an interview with US Media on Thursday, responding to a question on how the election outcome might affect the US foreign policy.

The Nov. 5 balloting, widely viewed as a referendum on the administration's performance in fighting terrorism, will not only strengthen the president politically but also place him in a better position in pushing his aggressive diplomatic objectives.

Moreover, the Republican control of both chambers of US Congress will grant Bush almost unfettered power or greater ability in carrying out the administration's diplomatic agenda.

As to the Iraq issue, it is widely believed that the success inthe midterm elections will strengthen Bush's hands in dealing withBaghdad and increase the possibility of an eventual US showdown with President Saddam Hussein.

Some Arab analysts were even more pessimistic, believing that the possibilities of waging war on Iraq are now greater than ever and may be a mere matter of time.

The concerns have only been deepened by the tough talks which Bush gave on Thursday at his White House press conference and in his speech made the following day shortly after the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a US-drafted resolution on Iraq.

By all analysis, the success in midterm elections has enabled the Republicans and Bush to gain initiative on both domestic and diplomatic agenda ranging from federal budget to the Iraq issue and the ongoing war against terror.

While this may well help Bush to achieve its domestic and diplomatic objectives in the remaining two years in office and boost the prospect of his re-election in 2004, it will also resultin huge pressure on Bush and his Republican Party if he fails to revive a flagging economy or suffers setbacks in a war with Iraq.

Although the Republicans now control both the House and the Senate, Bush still needs to seek cooperation from the Democrats, considering the thin majority held by his party in Congress.

Therefore, it has to wait and see whether the Bush administration and the Republicans could eventually cash their success in the midterm elections by carefully using the newly-earned political capital.

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