US Tea Party may be a sign trouble is brewing much closer to home

ONE of the mixed blessings travelling beyond our archipelago is that it’s hard to avoid American TV news. BBC World is frequently not available. Even when it is, their ‘cycle’ – the time it takes before they start repeating stories – is getting wearyingly short. Maybe it’s cutbacks.

Fortunately, this is an interesting time in US politics. Their mid-term elections are fast approaching, giving Americans their first countrywide opportunity to pronounce an interim verdict on President Barack Obama.

One thing is for sure: the president and Democrats are going to take a bath next month, losing a lot of seats. Their big majorities in both Houses of Congress will most likely to be wiped away. They might just hang on to the Senate where fewer seats are up for grabs.