| Weeks before the congressional midterm | | | | election and global reactions from another point of |
| elections, much was said and written on the | | | | view which is globalization. Opponents of neoliberal |
| possibilities and consequences of the 2006 | | | | globalization attack the way in which globalization is |
| elections outcome. There was considerable | | | | giving more advantages to hegemonic powers |
| outrage inside US among both democrats and | | | | (especially the US) and call for restructure or |
| republicans; campaign tracts, meetings and TV | | | | abolition of international organizations in the name |
| shows got everybody in the US exited about | | | | of a more globally just parliament and organization. |
| what is going to happen on the 7th of November. | | | | Regardless of their criticisms towards present |
| However, compared with previous US elections it | | | | organizations, the solutions which are proposed |
| was no new thing. The polity was going its usual | | | | are far from real and there is no roadmap |
| way, the only difference with the past | | | | proposed by the anti-globalization movement. Of |
| Congressional elections after the cold war, was | | | | course some scholars like Walden Bello have |
| the emergence of foreign policy as the most | | | | proposed "deglobalization" which is again far from |
| important concern in US elections. The issue of | | | | what would be the actual process. |
| foreign policy, though worthy in terms of acting | | | | In reality, the writer believes that, US congress |
| as a turning point for congressional tendency, is | | | | has replaced the international organizations like |
| not the concern of this article. Instead the global | | | | United Nations. For example, comparing the war |
| reactions to the elections and especially the role | | | | on Iraq, if congress would not allow the president |
| of congress in global affairs are discussed. | | | | to enter the war, Bush would have been in real |
| Among branches which are active inside the | | | | trouble, but United Nations' disapproval did not |
| United States government, namely the legislative, | | | | cause so much problems. |
| executive and judiciary, it is the executive and the | | | | The result of this replacement showed itself in |
| president that are responsible for foreign affairs. | | | | two areas regarding Congressional election, one |
| The constitution also gives power to congress and | | | | the global attention to the 2006 election, and the |
| judiciary to curb the executive's adventurous | | | | lobbyists' effort to gain any point available in the |
| decisions through legislations and budget | | | | election. |
| appropriations. A very notable case in which | | | | If one considers the anxiety existing in the |
| Congress stood against the president was the | | | | pre-election period and reaction to the results, |
| War Power Act (1973), after the Vietnam fiasco, | | | | there is certainly a high amount of global concern. |
| which reduced the capability of presidents to | | | | Some places like Middle East or Latin America |
| enter into a war without congressional approval. | | | | reacted as though the election was theirs. To look |
| 9/11 and the emergency status in the US allowed | | | | it another way, there was so much talk of |
| Bush to get a green light from Congress to | | | | biracials and so-called non-Americans entering into |
| declare war on terror (specifically at that time on | | | | Congress. One could refer to Hispanic-Americans, |
| Afghanistan). | | | | African-Americans or even Muslim-American to |
| The next war, as then became clear, was not for | | | | indicate how Globalized (or some would say |
| defending United States security and dealing with | | | | multicultural) USA Congress is tending to be. |
| the Iraqi threat. War of a global emperor | | | | There are some ambiguities in terms of this global |
| attracted so much criticism inside and outside the | | | | congress like the amount of global justice present |
| United States. This led many countries to feel | | | | in it, or the question of how congress would react |
| threatened by hegemonic power in its both hard | | | | to its past which has always left congress |
| and soft power kind of dealing with the so-called | | | | concerning with internal rather than external |
| global insurgent "axis of evil". The 2006 elections | | | | problems of United states? And many other |
| was an end to people's support of the "war" and | | | | questions that would even deny such a globality. |
| many people outside US got happy to see | | | | But what is obvious is the global status that |
| republicans loose. | | | | congress has got and probably the 2008 |
| Now among many implications of this tough "no" | | | | presidency would get. |
| to republican belligerence, one can look at the | | | | |