he Democrats flipped the White House on the night of the US Midterm Elections (6th November). What does this mean for Trump and the Republicans?
The Democrats flipped the White House on the night of the US Midterm Elections (6th November). A huge swath of government positions was up for grabs, including all 435 seats of the House Of Representatives, 34 seats of the Senate, 36 State Governorships, as well as many State Legislatures, Mayors and even a few local Referendums were held.
What does this mean for Trump and the Republicans?
The main victory goes to the Democratic Party who turned their 193 seat minority in the House of Representatives into a 225 (and counting) seat majority. With now full control of the House, the Democrats will have a stronger position to pass their legislative agenda. However, this is only one half of one branch of Government.
In the Senate, where only 34 out of the 100 seats were up for election, the Republicans have increased their majority by taking three democratic seats. As the results are even still coming in, their majority technically remains at 51 seats. What does that mean for the Democrats or Republicans?
Now that the Democrats control the House of Representatives, there are a few things they can do to counter President Trump. They can now at least protect Obamacare. As you know, Congress makes all the laws. And laws are only made once both the House and the Senate vote positively for it. A law can start off in any of the two, except for laws concerning tax and revenue, which have to start in the House. This is often called the Power of the Purse. As Obamacare was passed into law as part of a tax bill, it means it can only be repealed by the House which is now controlled by Obama-loving Democrats.
The other thing the House can do is call a Subpoena. This is when the House orders an individual to give testimony or present evidence, and they have to do it. Maybe the President should start looking for those tax returns.
We can Impeach Trump now, Right?
Now the thoughts on every liberals mind are whether or not, now with the House in Democratic hands, Trump can now be impeached. Well, there's still a few hurdles.
Firstly, while the House can investigate the President, they can't begin Impeachment proceedings without support from the Senate, which is now more Republican than it was before. They can pass an article of Impeachment in the House, which in all likelihood will probably pass. But just like any Bill, it must then be passed by the Senate. Which may be unlikely.
Secondly, even if it does get passed by the Senate, the next step would be a Senate Trial. This means select members of the Senate would over his Impeachment Trial. Which, again, may be unlikely.
Thirdly, even if all that was possible, you need evidence, and that leads to an awkward situation. Is it legal to Subpoena the President? The US Constitution says very specifically what the President is meant to do. When he (or she) is stopped from doing that job, it's unconstitutional. Therefore, for the House to demand evidence and testimony from the President would be illegal… or, at least that's what Republicans are saying. Democrats say that it's unconstitutional for any individual the refuse testimony to the House. Here, we see an unstoppable force, meet an immovable object.
Besides from the Democratic victory, there are many other things to celebrate about this election. About 273 women were on the ballot for the federal seats, a huge rise from 2016's 184. 110 women won their elections, a record number in American history!
In Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn became the State's first woman Senator. In Massachusetts, Ayanna Pressley became the first African-American woman elected to the House in any State in New England. In Maine, Janet Mills became the State's first woman Governor. Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids are the first native American women elected to Congress.
Anchorage, Alaska voted 'No' in a Referendum that would allow business managers to discriminate which genders could use which bathrooms; a huge victory for the local LGBT community. Jared Polis was elected Governor in Colorado, the first openly gay Governor in American history. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib have become the first female Muslims elected to Congress.
If nothing else, Michigan voted to legalise recreational Marijuana.