Republican or Democrat, People are Upset of the Economy

The outcome of the upcoming November U.S. midterm elections will certainly be determined by key issues in the country. With unemployment levels among American cities going higher and with job scarcity presenting a dangerous threat, American voters will certainly consider the economy as a driving force for their votes. It is remembered that the Obama administration passed the $800 billion economic stimulus package to augment the fiscal crisis and create jobs for the people. Over a year has passed and many Americans are still without jobs. Job creation will be the main focal point this election. Obviously, people are upset with the economy.

With a budget deficit estimated at $1.171 trillion and a national debt of $14.078 trillion, America is certainly struggling and will drown in debt in the coming years if nothing is done to stop it. The stimulus plan of Obama calls for rapid spending though it hasn’t achieved any significant success yet. More people now believe that the stimulus was just a waste of taxpayer’s money and will just contribute to more debts in the future. In a bid to take control of the U.S. Congress this coming November, arch-rivals Democrats and Republicans are trying to persuade the people about their platforms for economic growth.

In a recent survey released early Tuesday by ABC News/Yahoo! News polls, respondents, majority of them independents, expressed their lack of confidence on either party’s ability to save and improve the situation of the economy. We all remember how Obama-led Democrats presented measures for the economy during the past few weeks such as more stimulus projects which will hopes to generate more jobs. On the other hand, Republicans and its leaders are continuing to spread the message about the 2 years of Democratic leadership where it has ultimately failed to save the economy.

During the previous presidential race where Obama handily won, Independents played a vital role as they voted 52% for Obama as opposed to 44% for his rival. And today, Independents aren’t satisfied at all with the way Obama and his administration are taking care of things. In fact, the survey indicated that only 11% of Independents believe that the economy will have a better chance of improving if Democrats win Majority of the seats this November. Despite of their displeasure with Democrats, only 21% of Independents also believe that the economy will be better if Republicans take control of Congress.

Despite of an early lead by Republicans, there are plenty more of issues to be tackled before we can see who clearly has an advantage. One such issue that is being closely watched by Independents is the expiring Bush-era tax cuts. The voting turnout this November is expected to be lower compared to the previous years. It is expected to be 20 percentage points lower than it was during the previous election. A majority of those who will skip voting are those “Democratically inclined” independents. It is expected that those Independents who voted for Obama 2 years ago are exhausted enough that they would rather stay home come election time. Others might even try out with the Tea Party movement as they are more open for change in governance.