The United States Congress is comprised of the two legislative bodies of the federal government, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Working alongside one another, the two chambers are responsible for the creation of legislation with cooperation from the President, the head of the Executive Branch. When the Senate, House, and Presidency are all aligned in terms of their political allegiance it is referred to as a united government, and when it is not it is called a divided government. Congressional sessions in which the government is united are thought to be the most productive and least problematic times for Senators and Representatives to pass meaningful legislation. Without strict ideological divides or the threat of veto, a government
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However, one may have expected a much more perceivable difference in terms of productivity, which points to an overall change in legislative cooperation. The growth of partisan-based voting and the lack of discussion across the aisle seems to be lowering the standard for legislative success, and the trend continues even during sessions of united government. It’s also important to note how the trend shifted upward in the early 1980’s as well as the early 2000’s, which could be attributed to the growth in cooperation during a time of crisis. The spike in the 80’s could be related to the Cold War and its effect of uniting the government against communism, and the rise in the aftermath of 9/11 could be contributed to the increase in national pride and the collective desire to present a strong America to the rest of the world. In modern times as we witness the decrease in Congressional productivity, one could become critical of the government’s lack of cooperation. However, as the major political ideologies of the nation move further toward the extremes, it becomes more difficult to reach a consensus on many bills. Furthermore, with the growth of presidential power and the usage of the veto, we see a Congress up against larger odds than ever before, and during a divided session those odds are even more difficult to
However, one may have expected a much more perceivable difference in terms of productivity, which points to an overall change in legislative cooperation. The growth of partisan-based voting and the lack of discussion across the aisle seems to be lowering the standard for legislative success, and the trend continues even during sessions of united government. It’s also important to note how the trend shifted upward in the early 1980’s as well as the early 2000’s, which could be attributed to the growth in cooperation during a time of crisis. The spike in the 80’s could be related to the Cold War and its effect of uniting the government against communism, and the rise in the aftermath of 9/11 could be contributed to the increase in national pride and the collective desire to present a strong America to the rest of the world. In modern times as we witness the decrease in Congressional productivity, one could become critical of the government’s lack of cooperation. However, as the major political ideologies of the nation move further toward the extremes, it becomes more difficult to reach a consensus on many bills. Furthermore, with the growth of presidential power and the usage of the veto, we see a Congress up against larger odds than ever before, and during a divided session those odds are even more difficult to