An article on the relationship between bipartisanship and divided or united government (one-party controlling Congress and presidency). Does divided government create situations in which compromise is a must? Or is the current political environment too polarized, where divided government is inefficient and only creates gridlock. The authors argue that bipartisanship is a thing of the past, that it is unlikely that any sweeping "Washington Deals" will occur anytime soon.
I found this article particularly interesting in the context of our readings for Wednesday...that unless some serious shifts occur in modern day liberal and conservative thought, it is very unlikely conservatives and liberals will ever be able to work together for substantive change.
1 comment:
Interesting piece Amy. For most of the post-WWII period, political scientists found, divided government and unified government produced major legislation at about the same rate. But the last decade or so may have produced a hyperpartisanship that makes grand bargains impossible.
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