Executive Orders from the President

Dangers of Partisanship

When party unity and partisanship cause Congress to become deadlocked and unable to agree upon action, it can lead to several dangers and inefficiencies, including government shutdowns, legislative delays, loss of public trust, economic problems, and more. There are many real-world examples of all these. For instance, due to a failure of agreement on government spending in 2013 and again in 2018, the US government shut down, causing disruption to all non-essential services, in turn affecting millions of Americans. Likewise, during the debt ceiling crisis of 2011, the standoff between Republicans and Democrats resulted in a downgrade of the US credit rating by Standard & Poor's, which in turn led to increased borrowing costs and financial market volatility.

Partisan deadlock of the Affordable Care Act in 2017 as Congress tried to repeal or replace it caused a lot of uncertainty for people who needed to know what was required of them in terms of buying healthcare insurance. This kind of deadlock also serves to make the country more divided and polarized. Thus, a highly partisan and deadlocked Congress can lead to an erosion of public trust in the institution, as people tend to view their representatives as more interested in scoring political points than addressing the needs of the nation. This can cause even more political polarization and disengagement (American Government, n.d.).

When Congress is unable to reach agreements, it can hinder also the country's ability to address pressing issues such as gun control, immigration, and infrastructure investment. This can result in long-term negative consequences for the nation's wellbeing and global competitiveness. It also opens the door for the President to act via Executive Order. While this can sometimes provide immediate relief, it can also set a dangerous precedent for the concentration of power in the executive branch, undermining the system of checks and balances envisioned by the Constitution.