A nation polarized by a war, with a relatively shaky economy, and an ever-intense cultural battleground has spoken. President George W. Bush has been re-elected with a majority of both the popular vote and the Electoral College vote. It’s also significant to note that he is the first candidate since his father in 1988 to secure more than 50% of the votes cast. This election set a record for the highest number of votes both for the winning and losing candidates. These numbers provide a glimpse into the deep divisions that still exist in America. One didn’t really need a photo finish to know that.

The Republicans have also emerged stronger in Congress. Not that one anticipated anything different. They have strengthened their majority grip in both the House and the Senate. Congress will play a more significant role in policy-making since the “political capital” accrued by the President will diminish as 2008 approaches. The legislature will assert itself and so as we look ahead we need to pay more attention to Capitol Hill to get a sense of the country’s political direction.

We present to you a special bulletin that is a high-level analysis of the American electoral verdict. We have tried to identify factors that shaped this result and share with you our interpretation of them. At Young India, we are always looking ahead. At the same time we have a keen sense of history and always respect it. We begin the bulletin by examining the recent past and present but quickly move to what we feel lies ahead. And true to our mission to be pro-active, we share with you the direction we would like America to move in.

America Speaks: 2004, Special Bulletin on "The Debate for Democracy"

• Federal Elections Commision

2004 Political Parties and their candidates

• The Republican National Committee (RNC) - Official site
  • George W. Bush - Official Re-election campaign
    
• The Democratic National Committee (DNC) - Official Site
  • John Kerry

 

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