There has been heated debate about the midterm elections this year, with the Republicans keeping the Senate and the Democrats regaining a majority in the House of Representatives. In the wake of these results, The Epoch Times interviewed people in New York about their view of the elections.
David Hatter, 65, sales representative
The Epoch Times: What are your thoughts on the midterm results?
Mr. Hatter: As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten more conservative, So I’m glad to see that the Republicans held the Senate, and it should be interesting to see what the Democrats do with the House, and if they could work together possibly. I’m always optimistic.
The Epoch Times: What do you think that means to people?
Mr. Hatter: There are so many divergent ideas. Everybody seems so critical of each other, not compromising. Hopefully, there'll be a time when we can work together for a common good.
Tom Kusnirik, 41, director of software development
The Epoch Times: What are your thoughts on the midterm results?
Mr. Kusnirik: I thought it showed a lot of division in the way that America is looking at politics right now. Things seem to be split right down the middle, and that showed with them splitting the House and the Senate.
The Epoch Times: What do you think that means to people?
Mr. Kusnirik: It’s a good representation of the checks and balances. Having them split, it will allow for both parties to keep each other in check, so it’s a good thing.
The Epoch Times: Which party do you support?
Mr. Kusnirik: I’m right in the middle, which is right where things are.
Stuart Liess/The Epoch Times
Lindsey McFadden, 40, product manager
The Epoch Times: What are your thoughts on the midterm results?
Ms. McFadden: Not very pleased with it. I’m from New Jersey. I was happy how New Jersey turned out, but overall, I wanted to see more Democrats win. I was somewhat pleased.
The Epoch Times: What do you think that means to people?
Ms. McFadden: A lot of people complain, and you'd think the tides were turning. But when you actually have an election, it doesn’t seem to show what people are saying. I think a lot of people aren’t voting. I think that’s part of the problem, that people that are out there complaining and being vocal aren’t necessarily taking the time to vote. Two of my three kids are old enough to vote, and they didn’t go and vote, even though I tried to get them to. They aren’t happy with the state of things but they didn’t take the time to go and vote.
Tom Jenkin, 76, retired engineer
The Epoch Times: What are your thoughts on the midterm results?
Mr. Jenkin: It came out sort of as I expected. Maybe we were looking for a little better result in the Senate but anyway, on the Democratic side.
The Epoch Times: Which party do you support?
Mr. Jenkin: I’m fiscally conservative but socially liberal.
The Epoch Times: What do you think that means to people?
Mr. Jenkin: It’s good that we have a split government now, there‘ll be some checks. I’m probably in favor of the single-payer health care system. It’ll put the brakes on some things, but we'll see what happens in a few years.
Jason Caridy, 29, freelance videographer
The Epoch Times: What are your thoughts on the midterm results?
Mr. Caridy: I don’t know yet. I voted Democrat. I don’t want to say anything before anything actually happens. So I’m mostly indifferent at this point, until things start to transpire.
The Epoch Times: What do you think that means to people?
Mr. Caridy: We’re able to see hard proof that voting actually does something, because this is the first time that people actually really went out to vote for the midterms. People were mostly indifferent in the past, and I think we'll start to see a new wave of people on both sides.
Daniel Stevens, 36, designer
The Epoch Times: What are your thoughts on the midterm results?
Mr. Stevens: I’m somewhat satisfied with the results. I’m happy that a lot more women were voted in. That’s really good, we need a lot more different views and different viewpoints for things to change for us to get a little better.
Epoch Times: Which party do you support?
Mr. Stevens: Democrat. I think our politics right now are very nasty, and very negative, and we have to get it to a point where it’s more progressive, because not anything positive is getting done.
The Epoch Times: What do you think that means to people?
Mr. Stevens: I’m not huge into politics because I think on both sides, there is a lot of cat-fighting. There’s a lot of infighting and, for the most part, a lot of things don’t get done. There are two people that just don’t see, like Democrats and Republicans, they don’t see eye-to-eye.
Interviews have been edited for clarity and brevity.
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