Many of the events that defined 2011 will not dissolve into history when the calendar turns the page. The events that were set in motion this year will continue to play out and shape the year to come. The Epoch Times recaps pivotal moments and movements around the globe that are sure to make the headlines again in 2012.

As the United States rings in the New Year, Americans are focused on the 2012 presidential election, seen as an event that could fundamentally impact the direction of the republic.
“This will be the most important election since the election of 1860,” Republican candidate Rick Santorum said. “This is an election where the real foundational principles of our country are in jeopardy of being transformed.”

Republicans and Democrats in Washington seem polarized as never before, deadlocked over domestic issues: a floundering economy, health care reform, and immigration. Instability in the Middle East, the nuclear threat in Iran, and the rise of China bring foreign policy challenges for U.S. leadership.

Concerned with Washington gridlock and a struggling economy, Americans’ distrust of government reached record levels in 2011. Such frustration ignited ground-shifting, grass-roots political movements like the populist Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street.

The Occupy movement, and its message of corporate wealth’s negative influence, spread internationally. As protesters leave the parks, it remains to be seen how the movement will channel its energy into cohesive political action.

Such influence was felt from the Tea Party, which significantly impacted November 2010 midterm elections. Polls show the Tea Party may be waning in popularity, yet its pull is still considerable—especially among Republicans—and will impact the presidential race.

The Republican Party primaries begin in January. So far, the race has been anything but predictable, with five candidates at one time or another leading the polls. Heading into 2012, Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich lead the pack.

Despite genuine concern for the future, the country maintains its trademark optimism. “Don’t bet against America,” President Obama said in an Illinois speech in August. “We have gone through tougher times than this before.”

2011 & Beyond: Race for US President to Dominate

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