DIVIDED GOVERNMENT TYPES OF DIVISIONS AND IMPACTS ON GOVERNMENT FUNCTION

OCCURRENCES Within Congress  Each chamber of Congress is controlled by a differing party  Republicans control one chamber, Democrats control the other  Legislation that is heavily supported by on party easily passes one chamber, but may be defeated by the other Between Branches  Congress is controlled by one party, but the Executive Branch is run by another  Currently: Republicans have a majority in both the House and the Senate; however, President Obama is a Democrat  President’s threat of the use of veto power

IMPACTS WITHIN CONGRESS Party Power within the 113 th Congress

IMPACTS WITHIN CONGRESS Party Power within the 114 th Congress

IMPACTS WITHIN CONGRESS  General Passage of Legislation  Budget Procedures  Who’s to Blame?

IMPACTS BETWEEN BRANCHES  Increased Tensions  Budget Issues  Presidential Veto  Executive Orders  Use of Media/ Bully Pulpit

GENERAL EFFECTS OF DIVIDED GOVERNMENT Benefits  Creates dialogue  Encourages compromise  Forces members to “work across the aisle”  Enhances bipartisan relationships Drawbacks  POLARIZES the parties  Promotes GRIDLOCK  Intensifies divisions between the branches  Pushes chambers/branches into “power plays”  Veto threat  Government shutdowns