Essay - Midterm Elections Since World War Ii, the President's Party Has...

Midterm elections

Since World War II, the president's party has lost an average of 24 House seats in the midterm elections (Preciphs 2005). This trend ***** been bucked at times, but as a general political rule ***** thumb, the political party ***** control of the executive *****ten feels the brunt of the public's unhappiness with policies during ***** ***** elections; that is to say, even if voters are not directly unhappy with their representatives, they ***** more likely to take their anger at the party in ***** out on the only elected official on the ballot—their C*****gressman.

The midterm elections of 2006 have a sign*****ic*****nt opportunity to become this type of referendum on the policies and behavior of ***** Republican Party as a whole. The atmosphere is certainly ripe for such an event: public satisfaction ***** President Bush is at ***** all-time low, hovering around the 30% mark, ***** indictments continue ***** high-ranking ***** officials regarding leaks of cl*****sified in*****mation. Additionally, public disapproval ***** ***** financing scandals continues, primarily against ***** Congressmen, from the Abramoff scandal to the charges of bribery and kickback schemes against R*****y Cunningham, among o*****rs (Morin and Balz 2005). The ***** opinion currently does not favor the Republicans on many issues aside from national security; however, ***** polls have found that this issue trumps all others in the minds ***** ***** voters (L***** 2002).

Based on the current public mood, which is definitely c*****flicted between their belief that Republicans can protect national security best, whereas civil liberties and other priorities would be better off in different hands, the midterm elections of 2006 are ripe for a major upheaval. The low approval of President Bush is likely to be reflected in *****' decisions ***** their local ********** the party which emerges victorious will have the opportunity—and obstacles to ***** faced—to present itself as ***** party which the public should trust for ***** presidential ***** of 2008.

*****, Gary, "Water's Edge: Greater Trust ***** Government Limited to National Security" ABCnews/W*****hington Post poll vault: January 15, *****.

Morin, Richard and Dan *****, "Washington Post: *****'s Popularity Reaches New Low" ***** Post, November 4, 2005

Preciphs, Joi, "Tossups Draw Focus In Midterm Elections" WALL STREET JOURNAL July 26,