Linkage Politics in U.S. Presidential Election and American Foreign Policy toward Asia-Pacific Region

Abstract

In the past, the two-party politics in the United States has been known for its disagreements in domestic policy and consensus in foreign policy. Nevertheless, with the structural differences in the electoral politics, we find the two parties also approach foreign policy in different manners, both in the general understanding of international relations and in the nuanced policies reflecting domestic constituents’ preferences. This paper looks at the factors that contributed to Barack Obama’s successful re-election bid and how a new coalition of liberals, minorities, women, and disadvantaged groups has emerged within the Democratic Party that will have implications for its foreign policy formulation and implementation. We argue that the linkage politics is the one that should receive greater attention in our efforts to appreciate Obama’s foreign policy of the second term in general and towards Asia in particular.