From one perspective, the historical significance of this Tuesday’s US midterm elections should not be overstated. Anticipated Republican gains, and a consequent loss of Democratic control of Congress, would, if they materialise, be nothing out of the ordinary. The party in power usually performs poorly at the midpoint of the election cycle, especially if the sitting president is unpopular – and Joe Biden, with a disapproval rating of 55%, certainly is.
Viewed another way, however, the immediate significance of the vote for an angry, divided America that split roughly 51%-47% between Biden and Donald Trump in 2020 cannot be overestimated. The backdrop is looming economic recession, pessimism about the future, deep schisms over race, abortion rights, crime, guns and climate – and rising political violence fuelled by disinformation, far-right pundits, conspiracy theorists and paramilitary militias.
So febrile is the state of the union in 2022 that some ask: can democracy endure? … » | Editorial | Sunday, October 6, 2022
