In an election year, when the economy has become the main concern for citizens with a serious the risk of an economic recession, the electorate could vote against those who are supposedly responsible. This time, however, it is not so easy to find the guilty party, since the legislature power is in the hands of the Democratic Party, while Republican Party controls the executive branch.
According to the latest poll by the Washington Post and ABC, although the disapproval rate for Congress is 10 points lower than the 29 percent who disapprove of Bush’s performance, 52 percent of those surveyed would like the Democrats to continue controlling the House of Representatives. That same survey, conducted after the nomination was decided for the Democratic Party, gives the advantage to Senator Obama, with 48 percent versus 42 percent for Senator McCain. This latest poll attributes the path the country is on to the Republicans, up to now.
In terms of the political economy, the candidates’ platforms reveal the traditional differences that separate the Republican Party, in favor of reducing government intervention, from the Democratic Party, in favor of greater state intervention in the economy. For example, Senator McCain favors tax reduction, while Senator Obama is in favor of increasing public spending. At the same time, while McCain supports free trade agreements, Senator Obama proposes to place conditions upon them in order to protect workers and American businesses. These differences are also reflected in the proposals for mitigating the rise in fuel costs, one of the most important economic topics currently. The November election will decide between two very different models.
Finally, neither of the candidates can win in November without winning the independent vote. To achieve the support of these voters, the candidates need to move toward the center of the political spectrum, without losing the support of their traditional party members. To attract independents, Senator McCain should do so without alienating the most conservative sectors, while Senator Obama cannot ignore the need to win over Senator Clinton’s supporters.
