12.2b Bipartisanship and Limited Gov't Flashcards
Bipartisanship
The US Constitution does not mention political parties anywhere within it, but the separation of powers means that there is an imperative for different groups to work together in order to pass laws.
Other constitutional requirements
Other constitutional requirements such as the need for supermajorities to pass amendments or overturn a presidential veto also requires a compromise between different parties.
It is very rare for one group or idea to have such a large majority.
Bipartisanship: Effective
There are many historical examples of bipartisanship.
In the 1960s the two parties worked together under President Lyndon B Johnson, who was a Democrat, and in the 1980s under President Ronald Reagan, who was a Republican.
There was little bipartisanship under Obama, but in 2010 ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was repealed by a bill that was sponsored by a group of Republicans and Democrats, and supported by a group of Republicans who voted with the Democrats.
Bipartisanship: Ineffective
When there is divided government (different parties controlling the House of Representatives, Senate and Presidency) the need for bipartisanship has caused many problems.
As political parties have become more polarised in recent years it has become more difficult to reach compromise agreements meaning much less legislation is passed and occasionally the government has had to temporarily shut down.
This ‘political evil’ was feared by John Adams, one of the Founding Fathers.
How the government is limited
The separation of powers and the system of checks and balances were put in place to restrict the power of the federal government.
The codification and entrenchment of the constitution prevents the government from imposing their will on the citizens.
The addition of the Bill of Rights also limited the power of the government by protecting the rights of the individual and the states.
Limited Gov’t: Effective
The Supreme Court has often struck down legislation on the basis that it imposes on the rights of citizens as set out in the Bill of Rights.
Checks and balances and divided government has often prevented or diluted social reforms by the Democrats that would expand the powers of the federal government.
Limited Gov’t: Ineffective
Conservatives and libertarians argue that the government has gotten too ‘big’ as it has expanded its role in economic and social policy.
They want to limit the government’s role in these areas, especially welfare programs.
Many also argue that the federal government has grown too large and has more power over the states than the founding fathers originally intended.
