When the new US Congress convenes in January, both the Senate and the House of Representatives will be controlled by Democrats after the party’s landslide victory in the midterm elections.
An outclass. At least the Democrats will have no problem staffing the committees, notes Bianco, who works at Indiana University and is a visiting professor at Uppsala University this fall.
Healthcare and a new tone
But the Democrats now preparing to take up their seats in Washington, DC, come from very different backgrounds. At least six are democratic socialists who advocate universal healthcare and free childcare, as well as abolishing the immigration police ICE and, in the long term, the police and prison services.
Michigan’s new progressive senator, Abdul El-Sayed, ran for office on the promise that the Medicare health insurance program should cover everyone, while Texas’ new political star, James Talarico, is more centrist and has promised to take strong action against corruption. Meanwhile, pastor Adam Hamilton, who leads a large church, was a Republican until this spring and is now set to become Kansas’ first Democratic senator in more than 90 years. He has promised an end to “hyperpolarization.”
“Voters want decency,” he tells NPR.
Threats and vetoes
Polls show that Democrats want swift action to tackle high food and gas prices, which most people link to the Iran war.
Democrats should be able to agree on opposing the war and certain immigration policies, as well as expanding access to healthcare. They can also act against Trump’s politicization of the state apparatus - for example, by addressing the fact that Democratic-governed areas now receive less disaster relief than Republican-governed ones.
Many also want to scrutinize the Trump administration over, for example, the tariff wars, the deadly ICE raids and the White House’s relationship with certain companies and countries. Democrats are fired up about the latter, and the possibility of a new impeachment against Trump is being discussed.
Actually getting laws passed is considered more difficult, especially since the president has threatened to veto all Democratic bills.
“They have to figure out what they can cooperate on, both among themselves and with the White House,” says Bianco.
Democrats in the Senate may also vote down a judge or ministerial nominee whom the president wants confirmed if they consider the person too extreme.
It will be exciting to see whether Trump plays hardball or chooses candidates more acceptable to Democrats.
What do you think?