1. DIVIDED GOVERNMENT TYPES OF DIVISIONS AND IMPACTS ON GOVERNMENT FUNCTION

2. 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

3. IMPACTS WITHIN CONGRESS Party Power within the 113 th Congress

4. IMPACTS WITHIN CONGRESS Party Power within the 114 th Congress

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

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

7. 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