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To say that this year’s midterm elections were a disaster for President Obama and the Democratic Party would be an understatement. Undecided voters broke for the Republican Party in droves, enabling it to capture the Senate for the first time since 2006, increase its House majority to near historic levels, and preserve control of governor’s mansions across the country. For the next two years, the Republicans and President Obama will be engaged in a Cold War-style faceoff on Capitol Hill, with each side trying to position the other as obstructionist ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Since the new Congress will not be seated until January, extempers can expect to draw questions about the lessons each party can learn from the midterms and how President Obama should respond to the results.
This topic brief will breakdown the results of the midterm elections, discuss the chances of bipartisan cooperation over the next two years, and analyze how the 2016 presidential campaign may or may not be affected by this year’s midterms.
Readers are also encouraged to use the links below and in the related R&D to bolster their files about this topic.
Last week’s news cycle was consumed by the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the United States. Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan was the first person to be diagnosed with the virus on American soil in U.S. history. Duncan was admitted to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas on September 28 and died of the virus on October 8. Since that time, two nurses that cared for Duncan have contracted the virus. Reports that one of the nurses was allowed to fly after having a fever alarmed the American public, which is showing signs of panic about a virus that carries a fatality rate of over 60%. Newscasters have labeled Ebola as the “October surprise” of this year’s midterm elections and the federal government’s handling of the situation is becoming a hot political topic. President Obama has reportedly shown signs of frustration in meetings with officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and last Friday he appointed Ron Klain as the nation’s “Ebola czar.” Mr. Klain will be tasked with coordinating the federal response to the virus as well as assuaging public fears about the situation.
For the last fourteen years political pundits have debated whether Hillary Clinton will become America’s first female president. When her husband Bill ended his presidency in 2001, Hillary became New York’s junior senator. In 2004, she thought of running for the Democratic presidential nomination, but opted against it. In 2008, she decided to run for the presidency but was defeated by Barack Obama in the closest primary race since 1976. Following the 2008 presidential election Clinton became President Obama’s Secretary of State. She left that position in 2013 and observers believe she has been using her time away from Washington to solicit support for another presidential bid.
Last week, Attorney General Eric Holder announced his resignation. Holder is one of three officials still remaining from President Obama’s original Cabinet and he was a lightning rod for conservative criticism of the administration. During Holder’s six-and-a-half year tenure the Justice Department sought to re-emphasize the importance of civil rights, but it came under fire for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the “Fast and Furious” scandal and prosecuting journalists that leaked government information. Holder’s departure comes on the heels of an expected Republican takeover of the Senate, which may limit President Obama’s selection of his replacement. Holder announced that he will remain at his post until a successor is chosen and confirmed.
The fast food chain Burger King made waves in the corporate world two weeks ago when it announced an agreement to merge with Tim Hortons, a Canadian doughnut and coffee chain, and relocate to Toronto. Financial analysts argued that the move – called a tax inversion – may help Burger King reduce its corporate tax burden since Canada has a lower corporate tax rate than the United States. President Obama and Democratic lawmakers criticized Burger King for joining the list of “corporate deserters,” a term applied to companies that have relocated their corporate headquarters outside of America’s borders to reduce their tax burden. Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and leftist groups have called for a national boycott of Burger King as well. If the merger is approved by American and Canadian regulators, the new company will become the third-largest fast food chain in the world.