2010wasdefinitelywildasstateelectionsnationwideresultedin a new power in Congress. In2010sawanewandmoreconser-vativeRepublicansecttakeshapeand back up many political op-ponents for the Democrats. TheRepublicanParty faction came tobe known as theTea Party. TheMidterm Elections in Novemberprovedvitalastheyareapreviewinto the National Elections of2012. The 2010 Midterm Elec-tions did prove significant as thevoters replaced the Democrats intheHouse of Representatives butlefttheDemocratswiththemajor-ityintheSenate.AfewTeaPartymemberswon theMidtermElec-tionhighlightingsomeofthevoterdiscontent.InNevada,Kentucky,andDelaware,theincumbentSen-atorswereupagainsttheRepubli-cansinthepreliminaries,andlaterontheTeaPartycandidateswouldbe up against the Democrats.However,Nevadaremainedabluestate with Harry Reid and Dela-ware also remained in the handsof Democrats. In Kentucky andFlorida,Tea Partymemberswerevictorious in becoming Congressmembers. As congressional incum-

A Year in Political Stalemates

byRoxanaSierrabentsandchallengescampaigned,the president did a cross-countrytour trying to raise support forthe Democrats. Obama came tosouthernCalifornia and rallied tothousandsofstudentsontheUSCcampus, including some of ourvery ownBravo journalism staff.In California, it proved useful asthe people elected Senator Bar-bra Boxer and new Jerry BrownDemocrat’sCalifornia’sgovernor-elect. The results were stagger-ing as a wave of red consumedthenationintheHouseofRepre-sentativeselections.TheRepubli-cansgainedavastnumberofseatsresulting in241 total seatsoutof435,givingthemthemajorityandanewHousespeaker,JohnBoeh-ner. Obama frustrated by the re-publicangain. The elections were overandtheLameDuckCongressde-cidestogooutwithabang!Beforetheirwinterrecess,theDemocratswho controlled House and Sen-atewereabletopassavoteontheDon’tAskDon’ttellpolicyaffect-ingthemanyhomosexualsservingin the army and those who havebeenreleasedbecauseoftheirsex-ual orientation. The Lame DuckCongress tried topass theDreamAct,liftingthespiritsofthousands

ofimmigrantstudentswhosehopeswerecrushedwhentheactfailedtopass;itwillbealongtimebeforethe House will vote on it again.Therewasalsosomerelieftothosewhovolunteeredandaidedtheres-cuesintheaftermathof9/11whenabillpassedsayingtheywouldbecompensated. As January rolled around,many states gained new seats inthe House of Representatives;California was not among them.The Republicans who dominatedthe House got straight to work.Their first task was to repeal thehealthcarereformact. However,the deadly shootings in Tucsondelayedthatvote;afteraweekofdelay the new House passed therepealandthebillwassenttotheSenateafterheateddebatesonbothsides. All that is left to do is towaitforwhatmaycomeaheadintheeconomyinarut,withahighunemploymentrate,andatrillion-dollardeficit that is forcingmanyto penny pinch. There are somesignsofashiftingtoneshowndur-ingthestateoftheUnionAddresswhenbothpartymemberssatsideby side, symbolizing cooperationand a middle ground. Let’s seeiftheRepublicansmakeachangethattheDemocratscouldn’t.

HouseSpeakerJohnBoehner(photos.upi.com)

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