One of the Democratic Party's primary goals in the 2012 presidential election was to take a crack at the GOP's majority in the House of Representatives. While it succeeded in winning a few seats, the Democrats failed to take Speaker John Boehner out of power. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) vowed that, in the next election, the Democrats would fare better. The government shutdown, which ended his week, may have handed the party the message – and the marketing materials – they need to make a strong case for a renewed Democratic majority for 2015.
Harry Enten of The Guardian, a U.K.-based news source, commented on this development by saying that there are many roadblocks between now and a Democratic House. The president's low approval ratings, Republican gerrymandering and an electorate dissatisfied with both parties might result in a continued status quo after the next election. However, there are a few ways in which the GOP could blow its position entirely and open up the opportunity for the Democrats.
One easy way to do so would be to scuttle immigration reform, as the Republicans appear prepared to do in response to Obama's lack of negotiation during the shutdown. This would hurt the GOP's standing with minority groups even more, and push states like Texas even further to the left. An extended economic downturn, should it arrive on American shores, might be used by the Democrats to convince voters that Republican obstruction has prevented liberal ideas from having a positive effect, and that only by voting for progressives will the economy improve. The ludicrous nature of these arguments notwithstanding, it's a ploy that just might work.
Either party is bad news for the U.S., which is why independent leaning investors need to take care of their own fiscal houses, especially if they are preparing for retirement. Learn more by exploring our website further today.