Assessing the US midterm election results: a change ahead? Or more of the same?

摘要

In what one major American political news service described as 'the most important midterm election since voters repudiated the unsteady hand of Herbert Hoover in responding to the Great Depression',1 voters dealt President Donald Trump a major setback in the form of Democrats taking control of the United States House of Representatives. Despite Mr Trump's assertions to the contrary, the loss of Republican control of the House will result in a major political hurdle for the President. The days when the Republican-led House would give President Trump's energy, environment and natural resources policies only the briefest of reviews is about to change -and in a major way.