After Republicans swept majority control over the Senate in Tuesday’s elections, the President is likely facing some tough opposition for the remainder of his term in office.
The 2014 Mid-Term Elections were a rousing success for the GOP, who managed to secure a strong majority in the Senate and tightened their hold in the House in the process. With the balance of power shifted further to the right, pressure is being put on the White House to resolve conflicts more cooperatively rather than the historically antagonistic relationship between Democratic leadership and Republican opposition.
The Republican takeover only adds insult to injury for the President, who is currently feeling the sting of approval ratings in the low 40 percent range in public polls. President Obama invited House and Senate leaders from both parties to a meeting at the White House on Friday seeking to salve the tensions felt across the aisle and work together toward common goals.
Meanwhile, Republican voters nationwide are “ partying like it’s 1946 ” with news of the largest Senate majority since World War II, with Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell securing a sixth term and likely becoming the new Senate Majority Leader, ousting Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who will remain the Democratic Leader in the Senate, commenting on the election results Tuesday.
The message from voters is clear: they want us to work together.
In a press conference Wednesday, President Obama stated he is looking forward to a productive relationship with McConnell, citing that he has “always been straightforward” with the President and “has never made a promise if he could not deliver results”. President Obama also promised to spend more time with Republican congressional leaders moving forward.
Republican House Speaker John Boehner was humbled by the voter’s trust, but insists that now is “not a time for celebration, it’s the time for government to start getting results.” White House press secretary Josh Earnest was asked whether the Republican sweep would result in a surge of vetoes.
It depends on what the Senate and House decide to pass. House Republicans have amassed a pretty strong track record of legislation that’s not in the best interest of middle-class families, and that’s something that’s been discussed on the campaign trail quite a bit.
McConnell is also wary of the potential for conflict between the President and the newly elected House and Senate Republicans, but admits there are still issues that both his party and the President agree on, which should smooth out some of the tensions between the two. President Obama sounded optimistic about the partnership with Mitch McConnell during the press conference.
You know, actually, I would enjoy having some Kentucky bourbon with Mitch McConnell.
What are your thoughts on the 2014 Mid-Term election results? Is a Republican-led Congress a good thing or not? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
