Self-Critical Views From Bryant Park – Where do the interests lie in Mid-term Elections?

Self-Critical Views From Bryant Park – Where do the interests lie in Mid-term Elections?

By Andres Arevalo, Rebecca Brown and Adrienn Kácsor

NEW YORK, Manhattan, November 2 – A bad day for the Democrats, as everyone had expected the day of the 2010 Mid-term Elections to be. It is a sunny but freezing Tuesday at Bryant Park in the heart of Manhattan. Students, families, and businessmen, who spend their afternoon break at everyone's favorite New York park, all turned out to be quite pessimistic. Not just about the Democrats' election results, but also about the positive effects of the midterm elections on international affairs.

Three in four of those asked say that they do not believe that the mid-term elections would produce progress on the United States' foreign affairs issues. This result may not be completely surprising, considering the fact that most Americans (75 per cent of US population, according to CNN's Poll conducted before the Elections) have showed little interest in international politics but absolutely towards the US economy. “The top concern remains unemployment, with 58 percent saying it's the most important economic issue facing the country today,” points out the poll. It seems that most Americans’ interests today lie inside the United States, not abroad.

Still, instead of stressing the internal economical situation, when asked about challenges of U.S. foreign affairs, most people seem to believe that the United States has an important role and responsibility on the world stage of politics. “The United States is doing too much outside, but I think it is okay. America has a responsibility to do as much as possible,” says Nasreen Hussain, a 43-year old teacher. While three in four interviewed at Bryant Park, including Ms Hussain, say that the US has a responsibility, two of them also thought that America is doing too much abroad. A rather contradictory way of thinking, although not so surprising, as the newest terror threats posed by two package-bombs from Yemen were announced just a few days before the mid-term elections.

However, the interviewees' opinions are absolutely clear and homogenous about China. “Yes, China is causing economic problems to us, but it is not bad; that is the way it is. The US should be more competitive,” a common opinion voiced by Steve Demedrano-Hilling, a dual resident of both Spain and the United States. Although the majority of people criticize rather the United States than China for its growing power, it has also been mentioned that China should act fairly and according to international market rules. “I’m fine with the economy as long as it is fair. China has to play by the rules,” says Sergio Cannella, a middle-aged unemployed New Yorker.

The most divisive issue turns to be the question of Iran and what policy should the United States take towards the Iranian nuclear program. While Liz, a student, thinks that no country should have nuclear weapons, Steve Demedrano-Hilling counterpoised that Iran has the same rights to have nuclear weapons as Russia or Israel does. The most passionate but level-headed answer came from Ms Hussain, who says that “If there is an absolute way that they can find out if in fact Iran's nuclear program does exist, the US should take some diplomatic actions, but until such time, we don’t want another Iraq.”

At the end of the day, after interviewing many people, we have the impression that New Yorkers at Bryant Park think not only responsibly, but also quite self- critically about their country’s foreign policy.