Anger Management
Critical Analysis
According to the data from the visual above, what portion of Democrats describe their emotions about the 2022 midterm elections for Congress as very or somewhat angry?
According to the data from the visual above, as of 2022 as party members identify their emotions about the 2022 midterm elections, which party is currently more angry than the other party?
Describe one change in emotions for either party about midterm elections between 2018 and 2022.
Political science research has found that anger is a proven motivator to get voters to show up at the polls — even more so than other gauges of anxiety or motivation — and the 2018 figures provided just another proof point. The Democrats 1-percentage-point advantage on this metric as the party in power in the latest data compares with a 21-point anger deficit that Republicans faced in 2018, when they went on to lose the House by a large margin. Why is everybody so angry right now? List one reason Democrats are so angry and one reason Republicans are so angry right now.
Article I, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution mandates that congressional elections happen every two years. In these “midterm” elections, voters choose one-third of senators and every member of the House of Representatives. Midterm elections take place halfway between presidential elections. The congressional elections in November 2022 will be midterms. Explain how the frequency of elections impacts the responsiveness of members of the U.S. House of Representatives compared to members of the U.S. Senate.
One theory why president’s party tends to lose in midterm elections is the “thermostatic model,” which claims that in the first two year’s of office, President’s tend to fact sinking approval ratings. Accordingly, the public functions essentially like a thermostat, kicking in when it’s either too hot or too cold to restore the preferred temperature. Voters could conclude things are too conservative under a Republican regime and elect a new Democratic president. But then they could quickly conclude things have become too liberal, and swing back toward Republicans in the midterms. Then after Republicans regain some power, perhaps opinion will swing back toward Democrats and get the president reelected. Other’s believe that presidential loses in midterms elections are driven by low voter turnout in the President’s party. Make a claim, explaining why the President’s party tends to lose House seats in midterm elections?
In the most recent midterm election (2018), the party controlling the presidency (R) lost 40 seats in the House of Representatives. During the first midterm election of Barack Obama’s presidency (2010), the party controlling the presidency (D) lost 63 seats in the House. You can see even more midterm election results in this article and in the visual below. Make a claim about what happens to the party in control of the White House in midterm elections.
Every four years there is a presidential or general election. The next one will be in 2024. Why doesn’t the party of the winner of the presidential election get punished in general election years?
Would it be fair to say that the angrier the party the more likely they are to win elections?
Based on the data from the visuals below, and the fact that as of August 16, Biden had a 55% disapproval, and 40% approval rating, what do you predict will happen to the President Biden’s party (D) in this year’s midterm election?
Learning Extension
Learn more about the “thermostatic model,” of why president’s party tends to lose in midterm elections.
Action Extension
If you or someone you love will be 18 by Tuesday, November 8, 2022 register to vote online. It will take 2 minutes. Did you know that even if you are not presently 18 years old, in many states, if you will be 18 by the date of the general election (November 8), you qualify to vote in any primary election.
