Washington may be split by partisanship, but politics stop at the water’s edge, or so goes the old saw. That is, when it comes to using military force, lawmakers moves past simple Red/Blue distinctions and come together. But in recent weeks, many lawmakers have voiced concern that the “water’s edge” tradition […] Read more »
Why Democrats Have Reason to Fear
… Stepping back, midterm elections are, more often than not, referenda on the White House occupant. While the president’s name is not on the ballot, voters usually register their approval or disapproval of the administration through their votes for Congress. Obama’s job-approval ratings are currently in the low- to mid-40s, […] Read more »
A reversal on chemical weapon in Syria
The situation in Syria signals an increasingly adverse sentiment among the American public to any government policy which would involve U.S. engagement – through airstrikes or otherwise. … The Syrian government blatantly crossed the “red line” President Obama established last year, not once but twice, with a clear disregard for the […] Read more »
Syria: No war – no victor?
In his Tuesday address to the nation, President Obama had to make the case for military action against Syria to an American public more opposed to confrontation – even against terrorism – than at any time in his Presidency, and especially opposed to U.S. engagement in Syria. In the latest […] Read more »
Public Opinion and Military Action in Syria
The Syrian situation provides, among many other things, a case study of the relationship between public opinion and leaders’ policy decisions. The issue de jour is fairly straightforward and binary — take military action or not — and there has been a run-up time period in which to evaluate public […] Read more »
Syria Emerges as a Top Problem, but Trails Economy
As the prospect for armed U.S. intervention looms, 8% of Americans now believe the “situation in Syria” is the most important problem facing the U.S., marking the first time Syria has made the list. Nonetheless, the economy in general remains the No. 1 U.S. problem according to Americans, followed by […] Read more »