10/28 government reading

The Problem of Divided Government in an Era of Polarized Parties

Introduction

  • Author: Jeffrey A. Fine, Ph.D.

  • Institution: Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

  • Context: The discussion focuses on the impact of divided government in relation to polarized political parties in the U.S.

  • Historical Background:

    • In the wake of the 2006 congressional elections, the Democratic Party gained a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, marking a shift from the previous Republican control since the 1994 midterm elections (often termed the 'Republican revolution').

    • Definition of Divided Government: Divided government occurs when the president’s party does not control both chambers of Congress. It is sometimes referred to as divided party control.

Prevalence of Divided Government

  • Divided government has been common in the post-World War II era, even outnumbering unified government.

  • Specifically, the president has faced opposition control of at least one chamber for 36 out of the previous 62 years.

  • Variations in disagreement levels between the president and Congress during these periods have fluctuated markedly.

Historical Context of Party Control

  • From 1945 onwards, divided government predominantly occurred alongside Republican presidencies.

  • Democratic Presidents (Kennedy, Johnson, Carter): Typically enjoyed unified party control in both chambers throughout their presidencies.

  • Republican Presidents (Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, George H. W. Bush): Generally governed during periods of divided government.

  • Bill Clinton's Presidency: Marked the first time a Democratic president faced an opposition Congress for a majority of his term.

  • George W. Bush's Presidency: Represents a unique scenario where he presided over a period of unified party control for the first time in 40 years, following the presidency of Nixon.

Comparative Analysis of Republican Presidents

  • Richard Nixon vs. George W. Bush:

    • Nixon's Political Environment:

    • During Nixon’s first term, significant Democratic majorities existed (54 Senate Democrats and 254 House Democrats, roughly 58% of seats).

    • Bush's Initial Control:

    • Bush began his presidency with a majority in both chambers (221-212 in the House, 50-50 in the Senate).

    • Key Event:

    • Loss of Senate control due to James Jeffords' defection to independent.

    • Resulted in a Democratic Senate (50 Democrats, 49 Republicans, 1 Independent) with Republican control of the House.

    • Post-2006 Elections:

    • Democrats regained control (51-49 in Senate, 233-202 in House).

Examining the Effects of Divided Government

  • Conventional Wisdom: Initially suggested that divided government leads to political gridlock.

    • Mayhew’s Landmark Work (1991):

    • Analyzed legislative enactments over a 50-year period, finding no significant difference in the amount of legislation passed during unified vs. divided government.

    • Investigation outcomes similar; no significant difference in executive branch investigations between the two governmental structures.

    • Mayhew's Conclusion:

    • Divided government does not necessarily lead to adverse political outcomes contrary to the original belief.

Subsequent Research Findings

  • Most studies after Mayhew have shown that divided government does negatively impact presidential-congressional relations:

    • Huber, Shipan, and Pfahler (2001): Noted that while the total number of legislative enactments was similar across periods, the legislative content varied significantly based on party control.

    • Edwards, Barrett, and Peake (1997): Found that legislative failure and presidential failure to pass legislation were greater during divided government.

    • Binder (2003): Noted increased policy gridlock when control was divided, resulting in overall lower legislative passage rates.

    • Krutz (2001): Highlighted the prevalence of omnibus legislation during periods of divided control.

Confirmation Processes and Divided Government

  • The Senate's role in presidential nominations, known as “advise and consent,” is impacted significantly by divided government:

    • Segal (1987): Found unified government crucial for smooth confirmation processes.

    • Binder and Maltzman (2002): Explored delays in judicial confirmations related to ideological rifts between Congress and the executive.

    • McCarty and Razaghian (1999): Confirmed that ideologically polarized atmospheres in Congress lead to lengthier confirmation processes, particularly during divided government.

Conclusion on Divided vs. Unified Government

  • The effects of divided government depend not just on party control but on the ideological composition of Congress and cooperation levels:

    • Nixon vs. Clinton Example: Differing ideological environments demonstrated the nuanced effects of divided government.

    • During Nixon's time, the political climate was less polarized than it was under Clinton's presidency, when polarization sharply divided the parties, resulting in significant legislative challenges for Clinton due to heightened opposition from Republicans.

Future of Presidential-Congressional Relations

  • Current polarization has significant implications for divided government:

    • Greater ideological distances between the parties highlight the heightened difficulties faced during periods of divided government today compared to previous decades.

    • Impacts include potential legislative gridlock, highlighted by recent filibuster usage in the Senate that prevents smooth legislative functions even during purportedly unified governments.

Key Terms

  1. Cloture: A procedure used in the Senate to end filibusters that requires 60 votes to invoke.

  2. Divided Government: When different parties control the presidency and one or both houses of Congress; more common since 1968.

  3. Filibuster: A Senate rule allowing unlimited debate to block or delay legislation, stopped only by invoking cloture.

  4. Gridlock: A situation hindering legislation due to partisan conflicts, found more prevalent in divided governments.

  5. Party Polarization: A condition characterized by extreme ideological division between the parties.

  6. Unified Government: Occurs when one party controls both chambers of Congress and the presidency, leading to easier legislative enactment than in divided settings.