As the US midterm election enters the final stretch, many races are too close to call but most polls have Democrats seizing control of the House of Representatives and Republicans clinging on to the Senate.

President Donald Trump is ratcheting up the rhetoric and campaigning furiously as he seeks to hold on to the Republican majorities in the two chambers of Congress.

All 435 seats in the House are up for grabs on Tuesday while 35 seats in the 100-member Senate are at stake. Americans will vote for governor in 36 states.

Republicans have a slim 51-49 hold on the Senate, where Democrats have a tough hill to climb with 26 Democratic seats on the ballot and only nine Republican seats.

Democrats need a net gain of 23 seats to take control of the House they lost in 2010 and House minority leader Nancy Pelosi boldly predicted this week they would do so.

"Democrats will carry the House," Pelosi said on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," while also forecasting victory in the Senate.

Political forecasting outlet FiveThirtyEight.com gives Democrats a 6 in 7, or 85 per cent, chance of gaining control of the House but only a 1 in 7, or 15 per cent, chance of winning the Senate.

As election day approaches and with turnout a major factor, Trump has sought to drive Republicans to the polls and rekindle the enthusiasm of his 2016 upset presidential bid.

"I'm not on the ticket, but I am on the ticket because this is also a referendum about me," he said at a rally last month in Mississippi. "Pretend I'm on the ballot."

Anti-immigration rhetoric

Trump has scheduled 10 campaign rallies over the next five days in eight states -- Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

Trump has dialed up the rhetoric on immigration, issuing dire warnings about caravans of Central American migrants heading to the US southern border.

Claiming the caravans include "very bad thugs and gang members," Trump has ordered 5,000 active-duty troops to the border and said he is considering sending up to 15,000.

Trump also posted a political ad on his Twitter account on Wednesday which shows a Mexican man boasting about killing police officers and includes the caption "Democrats let him into the country."

Democrats accused the president of seeking to inflame his supporters with racist anti-immigration appeals.

"This is fear mongering," Tom Perez, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, told CNN. "This has been Donald Trump's playbook for so long."

Control of the Senate will come down to a handful of races, in Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, according to political analysts.

Tight Senate races

In Arizona, two women -- Democratic Representative Kyrsten Sinema and Republican Representative Martha McSally, a former air force fighter pilot -- are battling to replace Senator Jeff Flake, a Trump critic who is not running for reelection. 538.com currently gives Sinema a slight edge.

In Florida, incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson is involved in a tough reelection battle with Republican governor Rick Scott. 538.com has Nelson with a small lead.

In Missouri, 538.com gives incumbent Democratic Senator Clare McCaskill a 3-in-5 chance of holding off a stiff challenge from 38-year-old state attorney general Josh Hawley.

In other closely watched races, Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota is trailing in most polls and incumbent Republican Senator Dean Heller of Nevada is locked in a dead heat with Democratic challenger Jacky Rosen.

In reliably Republican Texas, Senator Ted Cruz is facing a surprisingly competitive challenge from rising Democratic star Beto O'Rourke but most polls give the edge to the Republican incumbent.

Two races for governor have drawn widespread attention.

In Georgia, Democrat Stacey Abrams, former minority leader in the state House of Representatives, is seeking to become the first black woman to become governor of a US state.

And in Florida, the African-American mayor of Tallahassee, Andrew Gillum, is in a bitter battle with a Trump acolyte, Republican Representative Ron DeSantis.

As the US midterm election enters the final stretch, many races are too close to call but most polls have Democrats seizing control of the House of Representatives and Republicans clinging on to the Senate.

As the US midterm election enters the final stretch, many races are too close to call but most polls have Democrats seizing control of the House of Representatives and Republicans clinging on to the Senate. President Donald Trump is ratcheting up the rhetoric and campaigning furiously as he seeks to hold on to the Republican majorities in the two chambers of Congress. All 435 seats in the House are up for grabs on Tuesday while 35 seats in the 100-member Senate are at stake. Americans will vote for governor in 36 states. Republicans have a slim 51-49 hold on the Senate, where Democrats have a tough hill to climb with 26 Democratic seats on the ballot and only nine Republican seats. Democrats need a net gain of 23 seats to take control of the House they lost in 2010 and House minority leader Nancy Pelosi boldly predicted this week they would do so. "Democrats will carry the House," Pelosi said on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," while also forecasting victory in the Senate. Political forecasting outlet FiveThirtyEight.com gives Democrats a 6 in 7, or 85 per cent, chance of gaining control of the House but only a 1 in 7, or 15 per cent, chance of winning the Senate. As election day approaches and with turnout a major factor, Trump has sought to drive Republicans to the polls and rekindle the enthusiasm of his 2016 upset presidential bid. "I'm not on the ticket, but I am on the ticket because this is also a referendum about me," he said at a rally last month in Mississippi. "Pretend I'm on the ballot." Anti-immigration rhetoric Trump has scheduled 10 campaign rallies over the next five days in eight states -- Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Trump has dialed up the rhetoric on immigration, issuing dire warnings about caravans of Central American migrants heading to the US southern border. Claiming the caravans include "very bad thugs and gang members," Trump has ordered 5,000 active-duty troops to the border and said he is considering sending up to 15,000. Trump also posted a political ad on his Twitter account on Wednesday which shows a Mexican man boasting about killing police officers and includes the caption "Democrats let him into the country." Democrats accused the president of seeking to inflame his supporters with racist anti-immigration appeals. "This is fear mongering," Tom Perez, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, told CNN. "This has been Donald Trump's playbook for so long." Control of the Senate will come down to a handful of races, in Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, according to political analysts. Tight Senate races In Arizona, two women -- Democratic Representative Kyrsten Sinema and Republican Representative Martha McSally, a former air force fighter pilot -- are battling to replace Senator Jeff Flake, a Trump critic who is not running for reelection. 538.com currently gives Sinema a slight edge. In Florida, incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson is involved in a tough reelection battle with Republican governor Rick Scott. 538.com has Nelson with a small lead. In Missouri, 538.com gives incumbent Democratic Senator Clare McCaskill a 3-in-5 chance of holding off a stiff challenge from 38-year-old state attorney general Josh Hawley. In other closely watched races, Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota is trailing in most polls and incumbent Republican Senator Dean Heller of Nevada is locked in a dead heat with Democratic challenger Jacky Rosen. In reliably Republican Texas, Senator Ted Cruz is facing a surprisingly competitive challenge from rising Democratic star Beto O'Rourke but most polls give the edge to the Republican incumbent. Two races for governor have drawn widespread attention. In Georgia, Democrat Stacey Abrams, former minority leader in the state House of Representatives, is seeking to become the first black woman to become governor of a US state. And in Florida, the African-American mayor of Tallahassee, Andrew Gillum, is in a bitter battle with a Trump acolyte, Republican Representative Ron DeSantis.

US midterm polls 2018: Democrats favoured to take House, Republicans to hold Senate

The information technology (IT) industry in India has come a long way from early beginnings to a $150-billion global leader. In this journey, many of us who have led companies in this industry have faced many hurdles in our key markets and have seen technology shifts that threatened our global delivery model. However, we have always come out stronger and given a strategic response that has benefited all our stakeholders at all times.

Today, there are three challenges facing the industry. The first is the inexorable shift to digital, leading to a completely different way global clients of the industry will deploy processes and technology to engage with customers and supply chain partners. The second is the hectic pace of automation, both by manufacturing and services clients as robots in the physical world and robotic process automation in the services arena consume jobs all over the world and also in the IT and business process management (BPM) industry itself, threatening jobs like infrastructure and applications support, applications development and testing, which become easy targets for automation. And last, but not the least, is the looming spectre of protectionism, with traditional markets like the US, Europe and even Africa looking out for local talent and creating barriers for free movement of professionals from India.

The hot topic of the day is US President Donald Trump's multiple pronouncements against the highly skilled visa programme and the issuance of H-1B visas, supported by top white house advisors and members of the US Congress and Senate. The moves stem from President Trump's "America First" agenda which welcomes and encourages investments in the US while denouncing any moves to shift work offshore or replace American jobs with visa holding professionals. It does not help that Indian nationals continue to account for the overwhelming majority of H-1B and L-1 visas issued (74 per cent in FY 2017).

With all the pressure on Indian firms, local employment is being increased and the number of visas sponsored by Indian firms continues to decline each year with Nasscom recording a 55 per cent decline in new H-1B petitions for initial employment from FY 2014 levels of 18,709 to 8,468 in FY2017.

The response of the Indian industry has always been in three dimensions. The first is the fact that India's IT sector is a "net creator" of jobs in the US, directly supporting over 4 lakh jobs in the US. In the last four years alone, American jobs supported by Indian companies grew by 10 per cent annually compared to annual US job growth of less than 2 per cent. The second is the help given to thousands of the US businesses to improve their operations, create new products and services and gain market share through superior global competitiveness. The participation of Indian H-1B and green card holders in cutting-edge research has made the US the dominant tech nation for decades, an edge that the US can ill afford to lose.

The third and possibly the most compelling argument is that the US Department of Labor estimates that there will be 2.4 million unfilled jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by 2018, with half of these in IT related roles, and while Indian companies have stepped in to fill the gap, the annual number of IT specialists from India working on temporary visas is about 0.009 per cent of the 158-million strong US workforce.

It would, of course, be unrealistic to expect any softening of the US stance for the immediate future. The industry needs to protect its revenues by embracing new models that are driven by IP creation, local hiring and more intense offshore capability building. With digital transformation becoming the need of the day for all clients, building multi-stakeholder platforms and re-skilling the existing workforce on all shores in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data sciences and user experience design will be the best way to protect and enhance both revenues and industry reputation globally. The industry will make it happen. 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/business/report-h-1b-or-not-to-be-is-one-more-challenge-before-the-it-industry-2660094">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The information technology (IT) industry in India has come a long way from early beginnings to a $150-billion global leader. In this journey, many of us who have led companies in this industry have faced many hurdles in our key markets and have seen technology shifts that threatened our global delivery model.

The information technology (IT) industry in India has come a long way from early beginnings to a $150-billion global leader. In this journey, many of us who have led companies in this industry have faced many hurdles in our key markets and have seen technology shifts that threatened our global delivery model. However, we have always come out stronger and given a strategic response that has benefited all our stakeholders at all times. Today, there are three challenges facing the industry. The first is the inexorable shift to digital, leading to a completely different way global clients of the industry will deploy processes and technology to engage with customers and supply chain partners. The second is the hectic pace of automation, both by manufacturing and services clients as robots in the physical world and robotic process automation in the services arena consume jobs all over the world and also in the IT and business process management (BPM) industry itself, threatening jobs like infrastructure and applications support, applications development and testing, which become easy targets for automation. And last, but not the least, is the looming spectre of protectionism, with traditional markets like the US, Europe and even Africa looking out for local talent and creating barriers for free movement of professionals from India. The hot topic of the day is US President Donald Trump's multiple pronouncements against the highly skilled visa programme and the issuance of H-1B visas, supported by top white house advisors and members of the US Congress and Senate. The moves stem from President Trump's "America First" agenda which welcomes and encourages investments in the US while denouncing any moves to shift work offshore or replace American jobs with visa holding professionals. It does not help that Indian nationals continue to account for the overwhelming majority of H-1B and L-1 visas issued (74 per cent in FY 2017). With all the pressure on Indian firms, local employment is being increased and the number of visas sponsored by Indian firms continues to decline each year with Nasscom recording a 55 per cent decline in new H-1B petitions for initial employment from FY 2014 levels of 18,709 to 8,468 in FY2017. The response of the Indian industry has always been in three dimensions. The first is the fact that India's IT sector is a "net creator" of jobs in the US, directly supporting over 4 lakh jobs in the US. In the last four years alone, American jobs supported by Indian companies grew by 10 per cent annually compared to annual US job growth of less than 2 per cent. The second is the help given to thousands of the US businesses to improve their operations, create new products and services and gain market share through superior global competitiveness. The participation of Indian H-1B and green card holders in cutting-edge research has made the US the dominant tech nation for decades, an edge that the US can ill afford to lose. The third and possibly the most compelling argument is that the US Department of Labor estimates that there will be 2.4 million unfilled jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by 2018, with half of these in IT related roles, and while Indian companies have stepped in to fill the gap, the annual number of IT specialists from India working on temporary visas is about 0.009 per cent of the 158-million strong US workforce. It would, of course, be unrealistic to expect any softening of the US stance for the immediate future. The industry needs to protect its revenues by embracing new models that are driven by IP creation, local hiring and more intense offshore capability building. With digital transformation becoming the need of the day for all clients, building multi-stakeholder platforms and re-skilling the existing workforce on all shores in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data sciences and user experience design will be the best way to protect and enhance both revenues and industry reputation globally. The industry will make it happen. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Amid H-1B visa row, Indian IT industry faces many challenges

As American voters prepare to go to the polls on Tuesday (November 6), President Donald Trump is forefront on the minds of voters, even though he's not on the ballot.

While political analysts don't expect massive gains by Democrats, Trump and Republicans aren't taking any chances. In the week leading up to the election, Trump has scheduled rallies, sometimes as many as two a day, taking aim at hot-button issues such as immigration to motivate his base.

Voters in the Washington area spoke to Reuters about issues that are most important to them -- ranging from women's rights, immigration, health care, and the Supreme Court. All agree that voting and being a part of the democratic process is crucial.

David Butler is a financial planner in the Baltimore area, who enjoys fishing in the Chesapeake Bay after work. "I think everybody should vote and vote how they feel," he said. Butler believes the controversy surrounding the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh could spur conservative voters to the polls.

Stacie Lee Banks is the co-owner of a family floral design business in Washington. She believes that women have been undermined since Trump took office and hopes the political discourse will change if people vote in large numbers. But Banks is far from optimistic. "I feel kinda hopeless, a little hopeless or I feel a little bit of despair," she said. "I don't know if the other parts of the country are feeling the same way."

Women's groups have been focused on boosting voter turnout following Trump's election which drew massive protest crowds to Washington a day after his inauguration. Rallying points of sexual harassment, reproductive rights, Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings, and a record number of female candidates running for office could all factor in.

Thu Tran is a naturalized US&nbsp;citizen who resides in Virginia. She left her native Vietnam in 1988 to escape repression from the communist government. She is also hopeful the results of the election will benefit women. "A lot of women (are) angry, but I think after the election, maybe something change," Tran told Reuters.

Richard Bell works at a seafood market in Baltimore and is troubled by the divisive and polarized nature of the current political climate. He looks to support candidates that will overturn Roe vs. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case that legalized abortion. Bell says the Democratic party has become "vicious" and admits debating politics on social media has damaged some of his friendships.

Democrats have focused much of their closing messaging on defending the 2010 Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, and its protection of insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.

Trump and Republicans have ramped up attention on immigration, including a caravan of migrants from Central America headed through Mexico toward the U.S. border.

Candidates from both major parties are urging their supporters to vote early and data shows record numbers of people have already voted.

As American voters prepare to go to the polls on Tuesday (November 6), President Donald Trump is forefront on the minds of voters, even though he's not on the ballot.

As American voters prepare to go to the polls on Tuesday (November 6), President Donald Trump is forefront on the minds of voters, even though he's not on the ballot. While political analysts don't expect massive gains by Democrats, Trump and Republicans aren't taking any chances. In the week leading up to the election, Trump has scheduled rallies, sometimes as many as two a day, taking aim at hot-button issues such as immigration to motivate his base. Voters in the Washington area spoke to Reuters about issues that are most important to them -- ranging from women's rights, immigration, health care, and the Supreme Court. All agree that voting and being a part of the democratic process is crucial. David Butler is a financial planner in the Baltimore area, who enjoys fishing in the Chesapeake Bay after work. "I think everybody should vote and vote how they feel," he said. Butler believes the controversy surrounding the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh could spur conservative voters to the polls. Stacie Lee Banks is the co-owner of a family floral design business in Washington. She believes that women have been undermined since Trump took office and hopes the political discourse will change if people vote in large numbers. But Banks is far from optimistic. "I feel kinda hopeless, a little hopeless or I feel a little bit of despair," she said. "I don't know if the other parts of the country are feeling the same way." Women's groups have been focused on boosting voter turnout following Trump's election which drew massive protest crowds to Washington a day after his inauguration. Rallying points of sexual harassment, reproductive rights, Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings, and a record number of female candidates running for office could all factor in. Thu Tran is a naturalized US citizen who resides in Virginia. She left her native Vietnam in 1988 to escape repression from the communist government. She is also hopeful the results of the election will benefit women. "A lot of women (are) angry, but I think after the election, maybe something change," Tran told Reuters. Richard Bell works at a seafood market in Baltimore and is troubled by the divisive and polarized nature of the current political climate. He looks to support candidates that will overturn Roe vs. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case that legalized abortion. Bell says the Democratic party has become "vicious" and admits debating politics on social media has damaged some of his friendships. Democrats have focused much of their closing messaging on defending the 2010 Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, and its protection of insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. Trump and Republicans have ramped up attention on immigration, including a caravan of migrants from Central America headed through Mexico toward the U.S. border. Candidates from both major parties are urging their supporters to vote early and data shows record numbers of people have already voted.

What matters most? Voters sound off on US midterm elections

US midterm polls 2018: Immigration becomes a key issue

Donald Trump's unilateral proposal to end birthright citizenship has come under severe criticism. But it has got him, what he wants. He has managed to grab headlines days before Americans vote in the mid-terms. It's all part of Trump's strategy.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Trump is not contesting, but these elections will determine if his party keeps control of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It will also be a referendum for Trump's Presidency. Any President's first mid-term is seen as a stamp of approval or disapproval for him. Floating such controversial ideas helps to keep the Republicans in the public eye.&nbsp; 
 
The headlines could boost chances for Republican candidates in key Senate races. It also boosts efforts to oust Democrat incumbents in traditional red states.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Trump's proposal also comes in the backdrop of the Immigration crisis. It has been Trump's long-term goal to seal borders and stop entry of what he calls 'aliens'. A proposal to end birthright citizenship is a step in that direction.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
A lot is at stake for Donald Trump this election and he realises that. He is on a whirlwind tour of the country and in one such rally, he said if Democrats gain control, the next two years in the White House will be terrible.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
If Republicans lose control of either the House of Representatives or the Senate, they will lose their ability to send new bills to President Donald Trump’s desk with their party’s votes alone. Democrats will stall bill that hinges on conservative agenda. Which means, the conservative legislative agenda would be dead. All of Trump's plans to repeal Obamacare will be thwarted if Democrats take over.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Secondly, if either the House or the Congress goes the other way, the Trump administration could be staring at more investigations. If Democrats gain control, they would gain subpoena power, which would let them investigate the Trump administration far more aggressively. Apart from the Russia collusion charge, Trump could be staring at an investigation into sexual assault allegations against him, his businesses and all kinds of controversial policy choices or potential scandals.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
In the last 100 years, an incumbent party has kept control of the House and the Senate only thrice. So if Trump, who is a political outsider manages to pull that off, it would certainly be an achievement. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
 
 
&nbsp;

Donald Trump's unilateral proposal to end birthright citizenship has come under severe criticism. But it has got him, what he wants. He has managed to grab headlines days before Americans vote in the mid-terms.

Donald Trump's unilateral proposal to end birthright citizenship has come under severe criticism. But it has got him, what he wants. He has managed to grab headlines days before Americans vote in the mid-terms. It's all part of Trump's strategy. Trump is not contesting, but these elections will determine if his party keeps control of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It will also be a referendum for Trump's Presidency. Any President's first mid-term is seen as a stamp of approval or disapproval for him. Floating such controversial ideas helps to keep the Republicans in the public eye. The headlines could boost chances for Republican candidates in key Senate races. It also boosts efforts to oust Democrat incumbents in traditional red states. Trump's proposal also comes in the backdrop of the Immigration crisis. It has been Trump's long-term goal to seal borders and stop entry of what he calls 'aliens'. A proposal to end birthright citizenship is a step in that direction. A lot is at stake for Donald Trump this election and he realises that. He is on a whirlwind tour of the country and in one such rally, he said if Democrats gain control, the next two years in the White House will be terrible. If Republicans lose control of either the House of Representatives or the Senate, they will lose their ability to send new bills to President Donald Trump’s desk with their party’s votes alone. Democrats will stall bill that hinges on conservative agenda. Which means, the conservative legislative agenda would be dead. All of Trump's plans to repeal Obamacare will be thwarted if Democrats take over. Secondly, if either the House or the Congress goes the other way, the Trump administration could be staring at more investigations. If Democrats gain control, they would gain subpoena power, which would let them investigate the Trump administration far more aggressively. Apart from the Russia collusion charge, Trump could be staring at an investigation into sexual assault allegations against him, his businesses and all kinds of controversial policy choices or potential scandals. In the last 100 years, an incumbent party has kept control of the House and the Senate only thrice. So if Trump, who is a political outsider manages to pull that off, it would certainly be an achievement. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Donald Trump makes the right noises before US midterms

The US midterm elections are just a week away as a deeply divided nation anxiously watches whether the Republicans will maintain their majority in the Congress, or if the Democrats will pull off a surprise retake of the House or the Senate. Any pretence of bipartisanship and decency in politics today has completely evaporated, as evidenced in the recently concluded hearings on the allegations of sexual misconduct against Judge Brett Kavanaugh at the Senate Judiciary Committee. Just last week, Americans have resorted to expressing differences of opinions not with words but with bombs.

The person singularly responsible for the demise of decency in American politics, President Donald Trump, paid lip service to condemn the attempted attacks against his critics like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and George Soros, among others, stating that “acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America.” He quickly resorted to blaming the media and everyone who is critical of him, continuing to spew the divisive rhetoric that would define his presidency.

On October 25, Trump tweeted: “A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News. It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!” The president’s words have only deepened the partisan divide in a nation that is already split asunder by ideology-based politics rather than issue-driven discourse. Republican Senators and House Representatives have dispensed with any sense of self-respect and propriety to line up meekly behind Trump just to advance their party agenda.

Underdog Urgency

Over the last century, Republicans have been the underdogs of American politics. Democrats have had control of the Senate for 66 of the last 100 years. They have also enjoyed a majority in the House for 65 years, including 40 straight from 1954 until 1994. With control of both arms of Congress and the presidency, it is no surprise that underdogs are behaving with a great deal of urgency, rushing through their agenda.

Now, a GOP-controlled Congress successfully passed a tax bill that is projected to increase the national debt by $1.9 trillion between 2018 and 2028. The tax breaks will primarily benefit corporations and America’s superrich, while the fast-dwindling middle class and the poor end up getting crumbs.

In complete defiance of science, the Trump administration has precipitated the problem of climate change by rolling back environmental regulations. The world has just 12 years to apply the brakes on greenhouse gas emissions and limit the rise in Earth’s temperature before humanity faces the irreversible effects of global warming in the form of droughts, flooding, extreme heat and poverty.

In his eight years as president, Barack Obama appointed 329 Article III federal judges, two to US Supreme Court, 55 to the US Court of Appeals, 268 to the US District Courts and four to US Court of International Trade. Thanks to the Republican-controlled Senate that had stalled several Obama nominations since 2015, Trump inherited several vacancies, including the one that allowed him to appoint Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. As of this writing, Trump has appointed 84 Article III judges, including two to the Supreme Court, 29 to the Court of Appeals and 53 to the District Courts, reshaping the complexion of the most important courts in the country.

What are the odds?

The battle to retake the Senate may prove near impossible for the Democrats, with more of them contesting for re-election than their Republican counterparts. To regain the majority, vulnerable Democratic candidates Heidi Heitkamp, Joe Donnelly, Jon Tester and Joe Manchin have to hold on to their seats in the battleground states of North Dakota, Indiana, Montana and West Virginia respectively. In addition, they have to flip two of the three possible seats in Nevada, Arizona and Texas.

While the Democratic incumbents in Indiana, West Virginia and Montana are likely to hold their ground, Heidi Heitkamp is trailing in North Dakota by three points, a deficit that may prove very difficult to overcome following her vote against Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Incumbent Republican Ted Cruz holds a comfortable five-point edge over his Democratic rival, Beto O’Rourke, in Texas, but the contest is surprisingly close for a Senate race in the Lone Star State. The Senate race is a toss-up in Nevada. Democrats stand the best chance of an upset in Arizona, where Democrat Kristen Sinema holds a thin lead over Republican Martha McSally. When the dust settles, the final tally may remain exactly what it is today, 51-49 in favour of Republicans, giving them two more years to comfortably fill court vacancies at various levels in the country with conservative judges and altering the complexion of the judiciary for decades to come.

The prospect for Democrats to retake the House majority looks more promising. In order to change the current 194-241 breakdown to a majority, Democrats have to flip at least 24 Republican seats in addition to holding on to their current constituencies. While the number 24 may seem daunting, the House has flipped a majority in the recent past with much larger margins. In 1994 and 2010, Republicans gained a House majority with a swing of 54 and 62 seats respectively. Democrats did that in 2006 with a swing of 32 seats. Regaining the majority in this election season is achievable if the anti-Trump sentiment, especially in key blue states, translates into more voters at the polls.

Decency and Decorum

Despite having the highest number of electoral votes, California typically plays an insignificant role in presidential elections. That is likely to change in these midterm elections as California can singlehandedly give more than a third of the seats needed for the Democrats to retake the House majority. Political pundits and polls show that California does have the ability to transfer as many as eight Republican-held seats to Democrats in their quest for 24. They are also aided by the millions that former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is pumping into California to help the cause of winning the House back.

The Garden State, New Jersey, has five Republican incumbents who are vulnerable and is very likely to unseat four of them in preference to their Democratic challengers. New York, Illinois, Virginia Iowa and Pennsylvania are all states with competitive elections that can provide the remaining seats needed by the Democrats. A statistical analysis website FiveThirtyEight projects that the Democrats will retake the House with a 6-in-7 chance.

If the Democrats do gain House majority, Trump, one of America’s most scandal-prone presidents, will come under closer scrutiny and may even face impeachment. He and his administration will likely face a slew of investigations that will apply brakes on the Republican legislative agenda for rest of his term, slowing down Trump’s destructive policies in the areas of immigration, environment and the rights of marginalized minorities. His threat to end birthright citizenship with an executive order, potentially defying the 14th Amendment of the Constitution will undoubtedly face stiff legal battle, driving another wedge in a nation already struggling with many unresolved immigration issues.

Decency and decorum in American politics will still be a distant dream even if Democrats flip the House next week. America’s vindictive and hate-mongering president will only redouble his efforts maligning every effort that exposes the vacuous and corrupt person that he is. That would still be a small price to pay for providing the much-needed checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches of the US government that has been completely absent the past two years. 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/north_america/can-democrats-win-us-midterm-elections-american-politics-news-analysis-17716/">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The US midterm elections are just a week away as a deeply divided nation anxiously watches whether the Republicans will maintain their majority in the Congress, or if the Democrats will pull off a surprise retake of the House or the Senate.

The US midterm elections are just a week away as a deeply divided nation anxiously watches whether the Republicans will maintain their majority in the Congress, or if the Democrats will pull off a surprise retake of the House or the Senate. Any pretence of bipartisanship and decency in politics today has completely evaporated, as evidenced in the recently concluded hearings on the allegations of sexual misconduct against Judge Brett Kavanaugh at the Senate Judiciary Committee. Just last week, Americans have resorted to expressing differences of opinions not with words but with bombs. The person singularly responsible for the demise of decency in American politics, President Donald Trump, paid lip service to condemn the attempted attacks against his critics like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and George Soros, among others, stating that “acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America.” He quickly resorted to blaming the media and everyone who is critical of him, continuing to spew the divisive rhetoric that would define his presidency. On October 25, Trump tweeted: “A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News. It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!” The president’s words have only deepened the partisan divide in a nation that is already split asunder by ideology-based politics rather than issue-driven discourse. Republican Senators and House Representatives have dispensed with any sense of self-respect and propriety to line up meekly behind Trump just to advance their party agenda. Underdog Urgency Over the last century, Republicans have been the underdogs of American politics. Democrats have had control of the Senate for 66 of the last 100 years. They have also enjoyed a majority in the House for 65 years, including 40 straight from 1954 until 1994. With control of both arms of Congress and the presidency, it is no surprise that underdogs are behaving with a great deal of urgency, rushing through their agenda. Now, a GOP-controlled Congress successfully passed a tax bill that is projected to increase the national debt by $1.9 trillion between 2018 and 2028. The tax breaks will primarily benefit corporations and America’s superrich, while the fast-dwindling middle class and the poor end up getting crumbs. In complete defiance of science, the Trump administration has precipitated the problem of climate change by rolling back environmental regulations. The world has just 12 years to apply the brakes on greenhouse gas emissions and limit the rise in Earth’s temperature before humanity faces the irreversible effects of global warming in the form of droughts, flooding, extreme heat and poverty. In his eight years as president, Barack Obama appointed 329 Article III federal judges, two to US Supreme Court, 55 to the US Court of Appeals, 268 to the US District Courts and four to US Court of International Trade. Thanks to the Republican-controlled Senate that had stalled several Obama nominations since 2015, Trump inherited several vacancies, including the one that allowed him to appoint Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. As of this writing, Trump has appointed 84 Article III judges, including two to the Supreme Court, 29 to the Court of Appeals and 53 to the District Courts, reshaping the complexion of the most important courts in the country. What are the odds? The battle to retake the Senate may prove near impossible for the Democrats, with more of them contesting for re-election than their Republican counterparts. To regain the majority, vulnerable Democratic candidates Heidi Heitkamp, Joe Donnelly, Jon Tester and Joe Manchin have to hold on to their seats in the battleground states of North Dakota, Indiana, Montana and West Virginia respectively. In addition, they have to flip two of the three possible seats in Nevada, Arizona and Texas. While the Democratic incumbents in Indiana, West Virginia and Montana are likely to hold their ground, Heidi Heitkamp is trailing in North Dakota by three points, a deficit that may prove very difficult to overcome following her vote against Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Incumbent Republican Ted Cruz holds a comfortable five-point edge over his Democratic rival, Beto O’Rourke, in Texas, but the contest is surprisingly close for a Senate race in the Lone Star State. The Senate race is a toss-up in Nevada. Democrats stand the best chance of an upset in Arizona, where Democrat Kristen Sinema holds a thin lead over Republican Martha McSally. When the dust settles, the final tally may remain exactly what it is today, 51-49 in favour of Republicans, giving them two more years to comfortably fill court vacancies at various levels in the country with conservative judges and altering the complexion of the judiciary for decades to come. The prospect for Democrats to retake the House majority looks more promising. In order to change the current 194-241 breakdown to a majority, Democrats have to flip at least 24 Republican seats in addition to holding on to their current constituencies. While the number 24 may seem daunting, the House has flipped a majority in the recent past with much larger margins. In 1994 and 2010, Republicans gained a House majority with a swing of 54 and 62 seats respectively. Democrats did that in 2006 with a swing of 32 seats. Regaining the majority in this election season is achievable if the anti-Trump sentiment, especially in key blue states, translates into more voters at the polls. Decency and Decorum Despite having the highest number of electoral votes, California typically plays an insignificant role in presidential elections. That is likely to change in these midterm elections as California can singlehandedly give more than a third of the seats needed for the Democrats to retake the House majority. Political pundits and polls show that California does have the ability to transfer as many as eight Republican-held seats to Democrats in their quest for 24. They are also aided by the millions that former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is pumping into California to help the cause of winning the House back. The Garden State, New Jersey, has five Republican incumbents who are vulnerable and is very likely to unseat four of them in preference to their Democratic challengers. New York, Illinois, Virginia Iowa and Pennsylvania are all states with competitive elections that can provide the remaining seats needed by the Democrats. A statistical analysis website FiveThirtyEight projects that the Democrats will retake the House with a 6-in-7 chance. If the Democrats do gain House majority, Trump, one of America’s most scandal-prone presidents, will come under closer scrutiny and may even face impeachment. He and his administration will likely face a slew of investigations that will apply brakes on the Republican legislative agenda for rest of his term, slowing down Trump’s destructive policies in the areas of immigration, environment and the rights of marginalized minorities. His threat to end birthright citizenship with an executive order, potentially defying the 14th Amendment of the Constitution will undoubtedly face stiff legal battle, driving another wedge in a nation already struggling with many unresolved immigration issues. Decency and decorum in American politics will still be a distant dream even if Democrats flip the House next week. America’s vindictive and hate-mongering president will only redouble his efforts maligning every effort that exposes the vacuous and corrupt person that he is. That would still be a small price to pay for providing the much-needed checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches of the US government that has been completely absent the past two years. (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

What is at stake in the US midterm elections?

The upcoming US midterm elections are important for various reasons, one of the main highlights of these elections is the increasing number of candidates running for the federal legislature or governor are persons of colour.

The battle for the governor's mansion in the US state of Georgia features a woman vying to become the first black woman governor to run a state.

"Voter suppression isn't only about blocking the vote.. It's also about creating an atmosphere of fear... making people worry that their votes will not count," said Democrat Stacey Abrams in the first debate with Republican candidate Brian Kemp in Atlanta. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

According to a report, more than 53 thousand voter applications were on hold in the state ahead of election day. Nearly 70 per cent of those were from black applicants.

The battle for Georgia's governor's seat is emblematic of a number of races across the US in which candidates of colour are making strides in record numbers and initiating a wave of 'firsts' across the country.&nbsp;

In Michigan, former provincial lawmaker Rashida Tlaib is poised to become the first Muslim woman ever and the first Palestinian-American ever in the house of representatives -- the lower house of US Legislature.&nbsp;

In fact, Rashida Tlaib will be elected unopposed because no one is running against her. She will represent Michigan's 13th congressional district.&nbsp;

"If we want to be able to have a seat at the table then we're going to have to run, but people like us with unique names and different backgrounds and children of immigrants and all those things that I think makes us uniquely different in our lens very different to finally run for office," said Rashida Tlaib.

Another Muslim woman, a thirty-five-year-old, Minnesota lawmaker Ilhan Omar, hopes to be the first Somali-American in the US legislature.

She is also a refugee. She came to the US when she was twelve-years-old.&nbsp;

In New Mexico, Democrat Debra Haaland is trying to become America's first Native-American woman elected to the lower house of US legislature.

"There's never been a Native-American woman. There's nobody that looks like me," says Debra Haaland.

Tallahassee's Democratic mayor Andrew Gillum is running for Florida's governor. If he wins he will become Florida's first black governor.

Gillum is well aware that his win would be groundbreaking and he is not afraid to comment on the way racism has permeated his run against his opponent - Republican and former federal lawmaker Ron Desantis.

"He's got neo-nazis helping him out in this state.. Now I'm not calling Mr Desantis a racist, I'm simply saying the racists believe he's a racist," said Andrew Gillum.

Recently, President Donald Trump had accused Gillum of being a "thief", without citing any evidence.

In southern California's most Republican congressional district, a young, Latino-Arab-American Democrat is gaining ground, but Ammar Campa-Najjar's opponent have raised concerns over his racial background.

The upcoming US midterm elections are important for various reasons, one of the main highlights of these elections is the increasing number of candidates running for the federal legislature or governor are persons of colour.

The upcoming US midterm elections are important for various reasons, one of the main highlights of these elections is the increasing number of candidates running for the federal legislature or governor are persons of colour. The battle for the governor's mansion in the US state of Georgia features a woman vying to become the first black woman governor to run a state. "Voter suppression isn't only about blocking the vote.. It's also about creating an atmosphere of fear... making people worry that their votes will not count," said Democrat Stacey Abrams in the first debate with Republican candidate Brian Kemp in Atlanta. According to a report, more than 53 thousand voter applications were on hold in the state ahead of election day. Nearly 70 per cent of those were from black applicants. The battle for Georgia's governor's seat is emblematic of a number of races across the US in which candidates of colour are making strides in record numbers and initiating a wave of 'firsts' across the country. In Michigan, former provincial lawmaker Rashida Tlaib is poised to become the first Muslim woman ever and the first Palestinian-American ever in the house of representatives -- the lower house of US Legislature. In fact, Rashida Tlaib will be elected unopposed because no one is running against her. She will represent Michigan's 13th congressional district. "If we want to be able to have a seat at the table then we're going to have to run, but people like us with unique names and different backgrounds and children of immigrants and all those things that I think makes us uniquely different in our lens very different to finally run for office," said Rashida Tlaib. Another Muslim woman, a thirty-five-year-old, Minnesota lawmaker Ilhan Omar, hopes to be the first Somali-American in the US legislature. She is also a refugee. She came to the US when she was twelve-years-old. In New Mexico, Democrat Debra Haaland is trying to become America's first Native-American woman elected to the lower house of US legislature. "There's never been a Native-American woman. There's nobody that looks like me," says Debra Haaland. Tallahassee's Democratic mayor Andrew Gillum is running for Florida's governor. If he wins he will become Florida's first black governor. Gillum is well aware that his win would be groundbreaking and he is not afraid to comment on the way racism has permeated his run against his opponent - Republican and former federal lawmaker Ron Desantis. "He's got neo-nazis helping him out in this state.. Now I'm not calling Mr Desantis a racist, I'm simply saying the racists believe he's a racist," said Andrew Gillum. Recently, President Donald Trump had accused Gillum of being a "thief", without citing any evidence. In southern California's most Republican congressional district, a young, Latino-Arab-American Democrat is gaining ground, but Ammar Campa-Najjar's opponent have raised concerns over his racial background.

US midterm elections: Women, immigrants eye big win