Partisan polarization in the congress Essay

The statement saying that the Policymaking in Congress has been increasingly plagued by Partisan Polarization is very true. To support this fact we can have a look at the evidences available to us in the form of the chaos and uneven passing of the bills. Actually, each year the Congress is expected to pass nearly 13 bills, which funds the operation of the federal government. It should be written, debated and then be passed in both the houses and get the consent signature of the president. If this does not happens than the government is expected to have shut down. Thus, a regular movement of these bills year after year proves the proper procedures confirmation working in the Congress. Its movement helps in studying the members behavior overtime and how changes in preferences affect the legislative body in the law making process. Partisan Polarization in the Congress: By Partisan we mean a one-sided or biased decision making of some people like the politicians in the interest of their own party without taking into view of the national interest. Polarization is a move that these political parties make from centrist to extreme political positions. The motive behind partisan polarization is not just to keep an issue before the legislature but to gain the faith of a definite section of society so that they cast vote in their favor during the upcoming elections. For instance, A Muslim supporting lobby in the Congress always supports the decision-makings in the favor of most Muslim countries. Like a lobby of Muslims in the Congress always cast their vote in favor of giving Pakistan, huge chunk of financial aid. In the recent days, one more Partisan Polarization has been seen in the President’s comment. Through out the ruling period the President of United States, George Bush, has been supporting India on nuclear issues, but during the end of his reign he came under the pressure of Partisan polarization and announced Indian middle class as the root cause of Inflation in the whole world. His stand was that Indian middle class is getting wealthier day by day, and their number is much more than the whole population of United States. But the fact is that Indians faces more problems regarding malnutrition, millions of people do not even get all three times meal. While the corn used in United States to make petrol can feed a whole family for one year. The percentage of wastage of food and other items is much more as compared to Indians. Thus here temper flares and partisan spirit provokes new hostility among the Indians and the Americans, raising up people who have patience and restraints. Thus these kinds of statement increases partisan polarization in United States. Causes of Partisan Polarization in the United States: A number of causes of partisan polarization have been observed in the United States. Among them the most common are as follows. A. Ethnic or religious violence. That is a not so note worthy issue is highlighted again and again to get the benefit in the upcoming elections. For instance, the scandal of Bill Clinton came before the public during his upcoming election campaign. It shows clearly that the issue of ethics was highlighted with the view to destroy the image of Bill Clinton, aiming him to loose elections. Similarly if a religious attack occur between two sects than the political leaders does not act as negotiators but as the leg puller’s which in turn results in more violence, distrust and spread hatred. B. Counter-violence that may occur in reaction to the ethnic violence or religious violence. In case a sect of society has suffered due to religious violence and the ruling party is still quite than the result in increased anger among the people and the counter violence emerges resulting in chaos in the area. C. Political leaders aiming to win next election make such comments which flair a feeling of unhappiness or may even result in anger between the two parties, countries or two sections of society. The main motive is still to get more votes and not the benefit of any section of society. D. Changes in electoral system, made by the ruling party, also become the cause of partisan polarization. Actually by doing this, an attempt is made to benefit a section of society supporters than the median voter. United States is a country wherein people from around the world come in search of food, job and wealth. Either its Asian or African, Either European or Latin American every country resident wants to come to United States to test his/her fate. Due to this reason the population of the migrants has been increasing in the United States. The result is that these migrants try to make their own lobby in the Congress. Every sect of society tries to preserve its own interest leaving behind the national issues and profit of the nation. And the political leader becomes the puppet in their hands and tries to achieve their macro level goals. Therefore to preserve the interest various group of people a lobby of every country, caste or religion has made its own place in the Congress of the United States. So, whenever a policy making body starts working, each lobby tries to effect the decision making process. The purpose is to mend it as much as it benefits their specific interest. Â  The fact is that due to different parties and their different ideologies, every party wants to impose its own will and shape the upcoming legislative decision as per their own comfort. Ideologies of the political parties leading to partisan polarization: The Ideologies of the major two political parties has also become the root cause of partisan polarization in the United States. The Republicans are always in favor of controlling the international politics through their imperialist thinking. While the other big political party, the Democrats wants to see the whole world changing in to a democratic state. And to achieve their goals both the political parties takes such decision which were not necessarily required but in turn results in a heavy loss of men and money to the country. During the reign of Bill Clinton (Democrat President), a lot of financial aid was given to Asian countries to bring Democracy in their countries. Pakistan military cue, Nepal Maoist movement etc all were discouraged by the president of United States and money was spent in the form of financial aid to force these countries to bring back democracy. On the other side, George Bush (Republican President), made country fought the battle in Afghanistan, Iraq and now playing mind games with Iran. Â  The result was again loss of money and this time loss of men too. Due to this over expenditure on the treasury of United States, the country is facing many financial problems. The stock market has depreciated, Inflation rise up, slow down in the progress of the country has been confirmed. And now the over expenditure has resulted in lesser money available to take the country of this problem. The increasing prices of daily commodities are also adding fuel against the present government. The other problems faced by the country is rising unemployment and depleting standard of living of the common people. All this and more may be expected just because the ideologies of these political parties and politicians do not think for Americans. Effects of Partisan Polarization: The result of partisan polarization is that major decisions for the necessary progress of the country has to face unnecessary delays. The legislative assembly has to face major set backs while framing different policies. The policy makers also faces difficulties in bringing out the legislation as the lobbies in the house effects adversely the movement of the bill, and delay in passing of the specific may prove futile. The 13 appropriations or the spending bills that needs to be passed swiftly, faces difficulty to pass in both the houses, especially the Senate. Not only that there are rumors in the general public regarding bribery taking of the elected members of the legislative for delaying or hindering the progress of certain bills. The politicians are mainly considered responsible by the public for making unnecessary delays in the policy-making framework and slowing down process of passing bills. Some people even think that these delay-making politicians has taken bribes from the enemies of the country so as to slow down the progress of the nation. Thus the loosing faith of the public is another result of Partisan polarization. Wastage of time and money is another result of Partisan Polarization. The limited time of session of Congress gets wasted due to unnecessary delays. And finally the president gets the power to sign the bill without proper discussion in both the houses. Not only that, a lot of money also gets wasted due to unnecessary delays in the decision making process. Solutions to end Partisan polarization: To end the Partisan Polarization, the Brookings Institution along with the Hoover Institution will host a discussion on partisan polarization in the United States and its effect on foreign policy on 30th November 2008. This way this institution will try to figure out the root causes and the possible solutions to this problem. The politician’s mistakes will be highlighted and kept before the Congress and solutions will be discussed. The solution to this problem is through arising of the feeling among the countrymen regarding country’s first and people later type of feeling in the politicians. Politicians must understand that the interest of the nation is much, much more important that there personal interest. And if by any way their interest has to face some drawbacks than in that case making lobbies and bringing obstacles in the way of passing a specific bill may prove to be anti-national step. So if you have to give up something for your beloved country than kindly don’t hesitate and take time in doing so as you owe a lot the country. Congress has also resorted to new measures to ensure the passage of bills to be easier and faster. Firstly it has packaged the bill in the form of Omnibus, so as to broaden their base of support and easier movement in both the houses. Secondly, the number of earmarks has also been increased, so as to provide an additional support for the safe and quick passage of the bill. Normally this Omnibus bill is not meant towards the majority party preference than other spending bills in the past. Reason being the final product needs to be negotiated with president and needs the prior approval of the president. But in case of Unified government, Omnibus bills actually do provide opportunity for Partisan polarization for the majority party that can enact its own preference in the lawmaking process. The politicians responsible for making unnecessary delays should not be allowed to sit and vote in the Congress meeting. He/she should be asked to get re-elected and prove his/her true position at that point of time. Also a lesson regarding a responsibility towards the country and the countrymen should be given to all the politicians. Making Pamphlets, social meetings and other methods can do this. By improving the policy makers we can expect the bills to be passed easier and the country in the direction of progress. Also through legislation, a bill should be passed to avoid any unnecessary delays in the bills of national importance. Any politician trying to bring undue hindrance in the way of such important bill should not get the right to vote for that certain bill. Conclusion: There is certainly no point in loosing time and money due to partisan polarization. The progress of country should be considered more important than a person’s own interest. Moreover the politicians of today should realize their mistakes and that they should not forget their responsibility towards the country and the countrymen in wake of earning more and more money. Number of solutions are tried to make an attempt to the problem of partisan polarization but until whole nation unites and speaks against it collectively there won’t be any benefit coming out of it.