How the Republicans can fulfil their pledge
We face a choice: between an opportunity society with a safety net or a cradle-to-grave social welfare state, writes Congressman Paul Ryan
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US midterm elections
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Midterm elections usher in a dramatic shift in power in Washington as disenchanted voters sweep the Democrats from the House of Representatives
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Boehner takes on first fight in divided Congress
John Boehner, the incoming speaker of the House of Representatives, indicated Republicans would not budge on extending the Bush-era tax cuts for the richest 2 per cent of Americans, presaging the first big fight in the divided Congress
US-Cuba relations face setback after poll
Until last week, relations between Cuba and the US had been enjoying a rare good run. But then came the US midterm elections, in which some of the most visceral Cuban émigré opponents of rapprochement rode the Republican wave to Washington
US Congress looks inwards in wake of polls
Top Republicans have warned that the midterm elections have made Congress more isolationist, especially on issues such as international trade, the Afghanistan war and foreign assistance
US companies welcome power shift
Much attention in the new Congress is likely to remain on Wall Street and addressing other lingering crisis-related issues. But the development could also lead to less regulation, taxation and government oversight
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US midterm elections: The results
Explore who won the key mid-term and governor races and what the US political map now looks like.
Popularity peaks and troughs
As the crucial midterm elections approach, explore the defining events of Barack Obama’s presidency to date, plotted against his approval rating
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Comment and analysis
Deep divisions across political map
Much will flow from the fact that the US electorate has elected the most polarised Congress in modern history – Republicans are further to the right than their predecessors, and Democrats further to the left
Obama must roll with the tide
In the past 36 years there have been two unstoppable political waves, like the one that washed over Washington this week: in 1974, the first post-Watergate midterm elections, which carried a new generation of 90-plus Democrats into Washington, and 20 years later when Republicans rode to a smashing victory. In the first case, it took just six years, for the tide to roll back, in the secondn a mere two, writes Jurek Martin
Obama 2012 election prospects dim
It was a disastrous night for the Democratic Party across America – the worst since 1994. But for President Barack Obama figuring out his 2012 re-election prospects it was a uniquely bad night
Gridlock will be bad for America
Republicans are all but certain to take control of the House and are poised to make significant gains in the Senate. A dramatic transfer of power is underway in Washington, but without sensible new policies, writes Steven Rattner
Midterm power shift leaves Obama with dilemma
The US president must strike a balance between conciliation and confrontation with the Republicans, while hoping for an economic boost, writes William Galston
A limited Tea Party triumph
These elections are a clear victory for the Tea Party, but also reveal the movement’s limitations, writes Christopher Caldwell
Divided government reveals America’s indecision
The Republican party has taken back control of the House in a victory that shows how US voters are undecided over how to fix their country’s most troubling problems, writes Clive Crook
Man in the News: John Boehner
The next Speaker of the House has his work cut out managing the unruly elements in his party, write Edward Luce and Anna Fifield
Editorial comment
America prepares to vote for division
In this week’s midterm elections US voters are expected to punish the Democratic party. The Obama administration found governing hard in spite of twin majorities on Capitol Hill. Things are about to get harder.
Vacuous contest in the US
Everything has conspired to empty next week’s midterm election campaigns of content. If elections are about providing mandates for action, it would be difficult to imagine a more abject failure
Healthcare reform and the midterms
Polls suggest that the public wants the US healthcare reform to be mended, not scrapped. That should indeed be the goal. Whether Democrats and Republicans can pursue it together will decide whether progress or paralysis marks the remainder of Mr Obama’s term
A new start for US economic policy
The next Congress should reject gridlock and embrace compromise. That would indeed be a new start. Overwhelmingly, this is a political challenge not an economic or technical one
Flawed campaigns in US midterms
Time spent bashing individuals would be better used to champion the administration’s policies and explain what the Democratic leadership wants to do next
Division of power
The US midterm elections could paralyse Washington. The US faces big policy challenges that cannot wait: fiscal reform and immigration reform, to name but two
Obama should do more to boost jobs
With the recovery stalling, further stimulus is needed, and with long-term interest rates and inflation expectations at rock bottom, the US can afford it
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