Divided government occurs when one political party controls the presidency and another controls one or both houses of Congress. The struggle between parties can create significant issues for the government, including the appointment of judges and high officials and the creation of effective problem-solving legislation.
Divided government creates an issue for the president in making federal appointments. The president has the constitutional power to nominate ambassadors, judges, and high officials, but these nominees are subject to Senate confirmation. When the government is divided the president and the Senate are of different political parties, this creates a problem in the appointment of these positions. If the majority of senators are a
…show more content…
Attempting to enact significant legislation requires Congress and the White House to compromise and anticipate what others will approve of and pass. When a bill successfully passes both houses of Congress, which has become increasingly difficult due to party polarization and radical groups within the House of Representatives and the Senate, it then goes to the president for signing. This is a lengthy process, and in order for groups of people with opposing views to settle in agreement on a measure, a great deal of negotiation is often required. This can result in a piece of legislation that is a compromised, diluted version of its original form that is not an effective solution to the initial problem. Vague, weak legislation often necessitates further action by the other two branches of government in order to interpret and execute it properly. By allowing the judicial branch to interpret the law so that the executive branch can implement and enforce it, the United States government has found a way to combat this issue caused by divided government. Though divided government has been known to create problems, they can be overcome. Solutions such as these can keep the government functioning