Washington: So far no party has been able to get an absolute majority in the midterm elections in America. From the Senate to the House of Representatives, there is still a tussle between Democrats and Republicans over the majority. Like the Olympic Games in America, there are presidential elections every four years. At the same time, two years after the presidential election, midterm elections are held. ‘Midterms’ is an appropriate name because they occur after half of a president’s term has elapsed. They are often seen by political pundits as a referendum on the next president.
Equal seats for both parties in the Senate
If you look at the results of the election, both parties have so far won 49 seats in the 51-member Senate. Explain that there are two members from each state for the Senate. At the same time, in the House of Representatives or the lower house, Trump’s party is leading with 211 seats against the Democrats’ 199 seats. Trump’s party is still 7 seats behind the majority in the lower house. If we look at the statistics, it is known that since 1970 in America, no ruling party has been able to get a majority in the midterm elections. The results coming at the moment are also pointing towards maintaining this practice.
Biden will lose all powers!
After losing both houses, Biden’s difficulties will increase. For the last two years, the Democrat Party was running the House on its own accord. There is a possibility that the Republican Party if it wins a majority, may block a detailed investigation into the attack on the US Capitol. Also, Republicans will not allow Democrats’ decisions on topics including abortion, health care, and voting rights to be implemented.
House Conservatives have already promised to hold a hearing on Joe Biden’s son Hunter’s trade relations with China, according to a BBC report. They also want to look into the immigration policies of the Biden administration, the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the origins of the coronavirus pandemic in China. In such a situation, Biden’s difficulties are sure to increase as soon as the majority is gone.
Government is in danger of stalling!
Disagreement with Democrats on many issues and stubborn Republicans for wide cuts in the budget can make it difficult for Biden to run the government. The biggest danger in all this remains regarding the appointment of judges. Trump can postpone this process till the next presidential election to make a Conservative judge in the High Court. Whereas America has never defaulted in its debt.
However, partial government shutdowns have become more common due to Congress’s inability to approve annual spending legislation. This happened twice during the Trump administration and once under President Barack Obama. If Republicans and Democrats can’t agree on a framework for government spending, another government shutdown by the end of next year looks highly likely.
