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What the Midterms in the U.S. Mean

The latest session of the U.S. Congress has about 18 days or so until it ends, and once mid-term elections take place at the beginning of November, the administration of George W. Bush could find that the Congress is more openly hostile to his agenda that it has been for the good duration of his term. There are many who would like to see President Bush frustrated in his policies, as the country is largely unhappy with the direction the White House seems to be taking it at the moment.

Democrats have had an agenda for some time that has largely focused on being in opposition to whatever President Bush wants done. This opposition weakened somewhat with the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, but following the invasions of Afghanistan and later Iraq, Democrats rose up to the challenge in both the House and Senate even though many in the party got cozy with the Bush Administration and the Republican-controlled Congress all but stood behind every presidential plan.

But over time, even Congressional Republicans began to separate from the president as Bush?s popularity in the polls fell to record levels. In the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks, President Bush had an approval rating around 90 percent. Now, this popularity level is hanging around in the low 30s of the percentile range. And voter dissatisfaction these days is spread across the entirety of the political spectrum. What this basically means is that come January 2007, the president will either be vindicated or repudiated.