As the world reads the tea leaves after yesterday’s American midterm elections, we will no doubt hear plenty of theories about the changed complexion of the U.S. legislative branch. But all those assessments will be informed by one of those truisms of political life: it isn’t only who is voted in but who is voted out.
Basically, more often than not, political parties are tossed rather than alternatives are overwhelmingly embraced. This U.S. election is one of the former.
Donald Trump was a lightning rod. His candidates got tossed. Even though the Democrats made gains they are struggling to find an identity: socialist or otherwise.
Anger with Trump’s policies brought change – especially in the farm belt where, despite supporting his domestic agenda on things such as immigration, they felt the impact of tariffs and the Mideast war directly. Higher prices for gas and diesel coupled with fertilizer shortages and tariffs on steel for farm machinery, foreign policy issues proved Trump’s undoing in his heartland.
Yesterday was less a victory for the Democrats than a rejection of Trump’s foreign policy.
— For more than 50 years, Paul Martin has specialized in coverage of the business and political scenes. His career has spanned radio, television and print and electronic media.
