In summertime Washington, still somewhat half-heartedly celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence, there is little to suggest that elections are only weeks away and, according to many analysts, unusually consequential ones at that.
The White House is one vast construction site, surrounded by rubble and towering cranes, the Capitol is still nearly deserted, there are only a handful of tourists on the streets. Across the capital, the mood is one of political hibernation.
Beyond Washington, however, the pace has been frenetic for some time. Candidates are crisscrossing their districts, campaign signs are already beginning to fade and the sheer volume of money being spent is dizzying.
Donald Trump, ready for yet another political gamble, is urging his supporters to vote as though his own name appeared on every ballot. MAGA Republicans on one side and socialist Democrats on the other are competing to see who can pull the political pendulum more violently toward their own extreme. America already has one eye on 2028.
Greece is looking at something much closer at hand. Athens is waiting to see whether its “congressional caucus” on Capitol Hill will maintain its power.
