Looking Back at the November
2022 Midterm Elections
In the midterm elections this time,
the Democrats put up a good fight,
contrary to the media’s expectations.
As a result, the Senate held 50
Democrats and 49 Republicans,
giving the Democrats a de facto
majority.
In the House, Republicans won
a majority of 218 seats, giving them
the majority. Democrats were 211.
(As of November 17, 2011)
President Biden seems to have
gained a lot of confidence from
this election result, and early next
year he announced his intention to
run for the general election in 2024.
As the Democratic party’s winning
factor, it was big that the success in
attracting votes from nonpartisan
voters, especially from young people,
who were strongly opposed to the
Abortion Issue.
Also, as a reason for the Democrats’
victory, CNN reported, based on exit
polls conducted in Pennsylvania, that:
“Many American voters chose
Decency and Honesty over extremism
and confrontation, despite having
the problem of inflation. And most of
the voters, who valued Decency and
Honesty, voted Democrat.”
Bipartisan cooperation wins
public support
The other day, when President Biden
was asked at a press conference about
the discord and conflict between
President Trump and Mr. DeSantos,
he said:
“It will be fun watching them take on
each other,”
Then, laughter spread from the press
corps.
President Biden can afford it.
Let’s think about this background
for a moment.
About Mr. DeSantos, he was known
as a wise Republican governor, and
in this time election he won a landslide
victory the Democratic candidate in
Florida by about 20 points.
That DeSantos has a history of working
with President Biden to take measures
in disaster relief activities by Florida’s
typhoon “Ian“（1） this time.
(1) By the way, although it was late,
this site Alam Communication would
like to express Deepest Condolences
to the many victims of Florida who
were affected by the large typhoon Ian.
I pray from the bottom of my heart
that recovery and reconstruction will
be achieved as soon as possible.
In this way, the stance of tackling
problems with “democratic and republican
bipartisanship” gains great support from
citizens.
In the past, during Hurricane Sandy
in October 2012, President Obama
(Democrat), who was in office at the time,
rushed to the disaster area, and vowed
and acted with Republican Gov. Christie
for “Bipartisan Recovery Aid.”
This action is said to have had a big
positive effect on Mr. Obama’s re-election
in the presidential election a week later.
Also, Governor Christie’s growing
presence in the national political arena
stems from his bipartisan cooperation
at that time.
President Biden seeks to work
with moderates in Republican
Party
When verifying the content of
President Biden’s speech, he often says
“Being ready to cooperate with the
Republican Party.”
The President knows well the fact
the American people want Democrats
and Republicans to work together
bipartisanly to pass policies and
legislation that will benefit for the
lives of American citizen.
However, President Biden Views
on the “Republican Party'” can be
divided into Moderates and Radicals.
Moderates are Republicans who shy
away from traditional “Extremist
thoughts and actions,” and hold talks
with Democrats when necessary.
These Republicans are the mainstream
and majority within the Republican
Party.
On the other hand, the Radical
Republican Party is a member of
the Republican Party who believes
that the “2020 presidential election
was rigged.” They were endorsed by
former President Trump in the midterm
elections. Also known as the MAGA
Republican Party.
However, even if the MAGA Republican
Party, they are not united as one and
today show signs of splitting up.
* MAGA: “Make America Great Again”
For instance, currently, the US House of
Representatives can not be decided on
a speaker, and in fact, it became
the longest House Speaker election
in 164 years.
As of January 7th, 11th votes have
already been taken, but no candidate has
yet reached a majority, and no chair has
been decided.
However, it was finally decided on
the 15th time.
The reason why the chairman was
not decided for a long time is that
about 20 lawmakers who were
elected with the support of former
President Trump did not vote for
McCarthy, the front-runner for House
Speaker.
Former President Trump supported
McCarthy, but they did not vote for
McCarthy.
In such a point, there can be seen
a sign of division among Radical
Trump faction lawmakers.
I would like to see the future progress
in this regard.
“The image of Republican Ideals”
Always in President Biden’s Mind
I will return the story. Among these
Republicans, what President Biden
wants is cooperation with the
moderate Republican party to the last.
On the other hand, President has
decided that the “cooperation with
the MAGA Republican Party is
almost impossible.”
President made that decision just
before the 2022 midterm elections.
The 2022 midterm elections has
become a fierce battle between
Democrats and Republicans.
While fighting in such midterm
elections, what was the “Ideal image
of the Republican party” that has
always been in President Biden’s mind?
I am thinking that it was, as the
“Republicans of common sense” and
the “Republicans that can talk with
the Democrats”, an image of
the deceased Senator John McCain (1).
Senator McCain is unique among
Republican lawmakers, and his
greatest feature was that having
a consistent mentality to consult with
the Democratic Party and decide,
when dealing with any problem.
President Biden had also appreciated
that point.
(1) John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (Born 29
August 1936, Died 25 August
2018) As a conservative politician
who spoke frankly and emphasized
“Common sense and distinction”
and “a sense of balance,” he did
not hesitate to criticize the
Republican government harshly.
For that reason, he also often
clashed with ideological
Republican lawmakers and called
“Maverick” and he liked to be
called himself so.
During the Vietnam War,
he served in the Vietnam War
as a United States Navy Aviation
Officer.
He was shot down while flying
over Hanoi in 1967 and spent
five years as a prisoner of war
of the Democratic Republic of
Vietnam in Hoa Lo POW Camp
(aka Hanoi Hilton) in Hanoi.
During his first two years,
he endured severe torture from
North Vietnamese soldiers. As a
result, his popularity from the
American public led to him being
nominated as the Republican
presidential nominee in the 2008
US presidential election.
Against US President Donald Trump,
Senator McCain had a history of
continuing to criticize him intensely
since the middle of his presidential
campaign. / He is a practical,
results-oriented, and in order to get
results, he was valued as a master
negotiator, negotiating and making
“Talks and Concessions” not only
within his party but also with rival
Democratic Party.
President Biden said at a press conference
at the White House on November 9, 2022:
I’m prepared to work with my Republican
colleagues. The American people have
made clear (through this election,) I think,
that they expect Republicans to be
prepared to work with me as well.
Questions from reporters
You’ve often talked about breaking
the fever – the fever of Radical MAGA
Republicans – or kind of a transition
from this moment that we faced over
the last several years.
Do you feel like the election is
what represents that?
Do you feel like the fever has broken,
I guess?
President’s Answer
Well, I’m not — I don’t think we’re
going to break the fever for
the super mega MAGA Republicans.
I mean — but I think they’re a minority
of the Republican Party.
I think the vast majority of the
members of the Republican Party,
we disagree strongly on issues but
they’re decent, honorable people.
We have differe- — differences of
agreement on — on issues.
But they — you know, I — I worked
with a lot of these folks in the Senate
and the House for a long time. And,
you know, they — they’re — they’re
honest, and they’re — and they’re
straightforward. They’re different
than mine, but they’re — you know,
they’re — they’re decent folks.
(Omission)
And let me say this: Regardless —
regardless of what the final tally in
these elections show — and there’s
still some counting going on —
I’m prepared to work with my
Republican colleagues.
The American people have made
clear, I think, that they expect
Republicans to be prepared to work
with me as well.
When I return from the G20
meetings in Indonesia with other
world leaders, I’m going to invite
the leaders of both political parties,
as I’ve done in the past on my foreign
trips, to the White House to discuss
how we can work together for the
remainder of this year and into the
next Congress to advance the
economic and national security
priorities of the United States.
(Omission)
I will veto any attempt to pass
a national ban on abortion.
But I’m ready to compromise with
the Republicans where it makes
sense on many other issues.
And I’ll always put the needs and
interests of the American people first.
*
And – I know it is still very hard —
I’m going to do everything in my
power to see through that we unite
the country.
It’s hard to sustain yourself as
a leading democracy in the world,
if you can’t generate some unity.
So, I’m not going to change anything
in any fundamental way.
(Omission)
And I especially want to thank the
young people of this nation, who —
I’m told; I haven’t seen the numbers
— voted in historic numbers again
and — just as they did two years ago.
They voted to continue addressing
the climate crisis, gun violence,
their personal rights and freedoms,
and the student debt relief.
(Quotations from the speech end
here)
At the end of President Biden remarks
above, he said “I especially want to
thank the young people of this nation.”
Among this remark, we can find
President Biden’s “Wish” and
“Political Prospects and Goals.”
Who are the “Young people of this
nation” on earth, the president is
referring to?
It refers to many independents
people, including those who opposed
abortion in the Midterm Elections.
As President said, they voted in
order to take back “Individual Rights
and Liberties.”
Especially for women,
“the right to have an abortion is
taken away” is a very serious
problem. It is a life-threatening
issue for women.
For many women, being deprived
of the right to have an abortion is
synonymous with being deprived
of the right to live. It was the
nonpartisan classes people this
time who stood up to recapture that
precious right.
“They also voted to resolve issues
such as ‘the climate crisis, gun
violence, and student debt relief’,
which they see as serious issues.”
(A passage from the above the
president’s speech)
They are the “Good Nonpartisan
people” who make up the majority
of American citizens.
I am thinking that President Biden
is therefore trying to bring together
the following three forces to create
“One consensus force of good.
1 Good nonpartisan people
2 moderates of the Republican
Party
3 Democratic Party
But why would the president want
to go to such lengths to create
a “one consensus”?
The answer is in the president’s
statement above.
“I know it is still very hard —
I’m going to do everything in my
power to see through that we unite
the country. (Because) It’s hard to
sustain yourself as a leading
democracy in the world, if you can’t
generate some unity.”
As the president puts it, if we are
serious about America’s future
prosperity and development,
we need to transcend the differences
between Democrats and Republicans
within the United States and create
greater “Unity” and “Consensus Building.”
That is extremely important.
if you can’t do that, the United States
may become in the future, even more
divided domestically, its economy may
decline, the National Strength may
decline, and it may become weaker.
If that happens, America will find it
difficult to demonstrate leadership
in democracies, and there will be less
and less room for democracies to
survive on this planet.
The meaning of President Biden’s
statement above is such a meaning.
In other words, creating a unified
agreement within the United States
in the future means “Extremely Strong
as a Nation.”
It means that the country will become
stronger.
This is true both in personal life and
in the political world.
Even for individuals, if you can create
one mind (one strong concentration),
suffering will stop and you will be
victorious.
Organizations and Nations are also
the same. If you can create one
consensus, you can overcome hardships.
Also, you can beat big enemies.
Without America, the World’s
Democracies will no longer be able to
win even wars of aggression like the one
in Ukraine. And it will be thought that the
aggression could extend to many other
countries besides Ukraine.
America needs to unite with
the whole world to solve the
Climate Change Issue
The same is true for environmental
issues and climate change issues.
The United States withdrew from the
“Paris Agreement” at some point in
the past, but now is not the time to
leave.
There are scientific findings that the
climate change issue is now
approaching the Tipping point (1)
every moment.
A tipping point is a point from which
there is no turning back.
Once you reach the tipping point,
you can’t go back even if you try to
go back.
Fortunately, the United States has
returned to the “Paris Agreement”
after becoming the Biden administration.
Global environmental problems are
the issues that the United States must
take the leadership to make all countries
and companies around the world work
seriously toward solutions.
(1) What is the Tipping Point
of Climate Change? It is a theory that multiple earth
systems may cross the “Tipping
point” in a chain reaction, and the
whole earth may become irreversible.
About this, Tim Renton, a climate
scientist at the University of Exeter
in the UK, wrote in an editorial on
November 28, 2019 in the academic
journal “Nature” that it was a
“Crisis of the survival of civilization.”
Here are nine major tipping points
that scientists list today.
1. Collapse of the North-South
Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation
2. Melting of the West Antarctic
ice sheet
3. The disappearance of the
Amazon rainforest
4. Changes in the West African
Monsoon
5. Arctic permafrost thaw
6. Coral Reef Death
7. Indian monsoon changes
8. Greenland ice sheet melting
9. Boreal forest decline
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