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McConnell and Ryan Are of Two Minds About Divided Government Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan Are of Two Minds About Divided Government
(about 20 hours later)
WASHINGTON — The top two Republicans in Congress are divided when it comes to divided government.WASHINGTON — The top two Republicans in Congress are divided when it comes to divided government.
Speaker Paul D. Ryan says he has had it with Republicans and Democrats sharing power, complaining that it breeds dysfunction and prevents major accomplishments.Speaker Paul D. Ryan says he has had it with Republicans and Democrats sharing power, complaining that it breeds dysfunction and prevents major accomplishments.
In contrast, Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, says those periods when the parties split control of Congress and the White House are the ideal time to get big things done.In contrast, Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, says those periods when the parties split control of Congress and the White House are the ideal time to get big things done.
One of these Republican leaders — their differing views shaped by their individual experiences and the characteristics of their chambers — is likely to get an opportunity to prove his political theory correct next year.One of these Republican leaders — their differing views shaped by their individual experiences and the characteristics of their chambers — is likely to get an opportunity to prove his political theory correct next year.
While there is a chance that Donald J. Trump will win the White House and Republicans will hold the House and Senate, current polling suggests it is more likely that Hillary Clinton will win the presidency and Republicans will more narrowly control one or both chambers of Congress.While there is a chance that Donald J. Trump will win the White House and Republicans will hold the House and Senate, current polling suggests it is more likely that Hillary Clinton will win the presidency and Republicans will more narrowly control one or both chambers of Congress.
Such an outcome would test whether lawmakers of both parties, often unable to perform basic tasks like funding the government, can find a way to restore a sense of elemental competence to Washington.Such an outcome would test whether lawmakers of both parties, often unable to perform basic tasks like funding the government, can find a way to restore a sense of elemental competence to Washington.
Mr. McConnell has long articulated his belief that a divided government can spur politically risky deals that neither party would attempt alone. He noted last week that Ronald Reagan and Speaker Tip O’Neill, Democrat of Massachusetts, struck major accords on Social Security and taxes in the 1980s, and that President Bill Clinton and congressional Republicans overhauled welfare and balanced the budget in the 1990s.Mr. McConnell has long articulated his belief that a divided government can spur politically risky deals that neither party would attempt alone. He noted last week that Ronald Reagan and Speaker Tip O’Neill, Democrat of Massachusetts, struck major accords on Social Security and taxes in the 1980s, and that President Bill Clinton and congressional Republicans overhauled welfare and balanced the budget in the 1990s.
“Divided government is actually the best government,” Mr. McConnell said, “the best time to tackle really difficult things, because it requires both sides to buy into it to make progress.”“Divided government is actually the best government,” Mr. McConnell said, “the best time to tackle really difficult things, because it requires both sides to buy into it to make progress.”
So why have the last six years of extremely divided government been one long series of legislative stalemates, shutdown showdowns and budget failures? Mr. McConnell blames President Obama, seen by many Republicans as a neophyte in dealing with Capitol Hill.So why have the last six years of extremely divided government been one long series of legislative stalemates, shutdown showdowns and budget failures? Mr. McConnell blames President Obama, seen by many Republicans as a neophyte in dealing with Capitol Hill.
“My greatest disappointment with President Obama is that we had numerous discussions on all of those issues,” Mr. McConnell said, referring to the need for changes in entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare. “And he was not willing to move to the political center, which obviously would have been necessary since he hasn’t had control of Congress for six years, in order to achieve that.”“My greatest disappointment with President Obama is that we had numerous discussions on all of those issues,” Mr. McConnell said, referring to the need for changes in entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare. “And he was not willing to move to the political center, which obviously would have been necessary since he hasn’t had control of Congress for six years, in order to achieve that.”
Democrats, unsurprisingly, strongly disagree. After Mr. McConnell’s recent comments, the office of Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, his Democratic adversary, released data showing that Mr. Reid had been notably more productive in terms of legislation and confirmations in two years as majority leader with President George W. Bush than Mr. McConnell had been with Mr. Obama, whom Mr. McConnell famously said he wanted to make a one-term president.Democrats, unsurprisingly, strongly disagree. After Mr. McConnell’s recent comments, the office of Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, his Democratic adversary, released data showing that Mr. Reid had been notably more productive in terms of legislation and confirmations in two years as majority leader with President George W. Bush than Mr. McConnell had been with Mr. Obama, whom Mr. McConnell famously said he wanted to make a one-term president.
“History will look back and note that Republicans in Congress treated President Obama with unprecedented disrespect,” Mr. Reid said last week. “No one expected them to agree with everything that he did or tried to do, but Americans deserve better than the way Republicans behaved toward President Obama.” “History will look back and note that Republicans in Congress treated President Obama with unprecedented disrespect,” Mr. Reid said last week.
House Republicans also share culpability in the failures of the most recent period of divided government. When John A. Boehner was speaker, he repeatedly tried to play the role that O’Neill had and cut a grand bargain with the president of the opposing party. He was held back by threats to his leadership within his own party and an uncertainty among Democrats about whether he could deliver the votes. The price he paid was being driven from office by hard-right conservatives who were outraged at his willingness to compromise. “No one expected them to agree with everything that he did or tried to do, but Americans deserve better than the way Republicans behaved toward President Obama.”
House Republicans also share culpability in the failures of the most recent period of divided government. When John A. Boehner was speaker, he repeatedly tried to play the role that O’Neill had and cut a grand bargain with the president of the opposing party. He was held back by threats to his leadership within his own party and an uncertainty among Democrats about whether he could deliver the votes.
The price he paid was being driven from office by hard-right conservatives who were outraged at his willingness to compromise.
Mr. Ryan, who has experienced some of the same difficulties with his party’s right wing while managing to contain the dissension, is ready for an all-Republican government.Mr. Ryan, who has experienced some of the same difficulties with his party’s right wing while managing to contain the dissension, is ready for an all-Republican government.
“I’m tired of divided government” Mr. Ryan said at a Washington forum sponsored by The Atlantic. “It doesn’t work very well.”“I’m tired of divided government” Mr. Ryan said at a Washington forum sponsored by The Atlantic. “It doesn’t work very well.”
“We’re just at loggerheads,” he said. “We’ve gotten some good things done. But the big things — poverty, the debt crisis, the economy, health care — these things are stuck in divided government, and that’s why we think a unified Republican government’s the way to go.”“We’re just at loggerheads,” he said. “We’ve gotten some good things done. But the big things — poverty, the debt crisis, the economy, health care — these things are stuck in divided government, and that’s why we think a unified Republican government’s the way to go.”
That view is in line with the perspective of someone who has been shaped by the House, where the majority has a strong hand and can force through legislation with little concern for the minority party’s view.That view is in line with the perspective of someone who has been shaped by the House, where the majority has a strong hand and can force through legislation with little concern for the minority party’s view.
There have been recent examples of the setup Mr. Ryan would prefer. In the first two years of Mr. Obama’s presidency, Democrats held a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate and a sizable majority in the House. Together, they did produce a flood of legislation, including the health care law, Wall Street regulation and the economic stimulus.There have been recent examples of the setup Mr. Ryan would prefer. In the first two years of Mr. Obama’s presidency, Democrats held a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate and a sizable majority in the House. Together, they did produce a flood of legislation, including the health care law, Wall Street regulation and the economic stimulus.
Still, the enactment of those major initiatives along mainly partisan lines fed a fierce sense of retribution, a factor that eventually cost Democrats control of Congress and contributed to an increasingly poisonous political atmosphere.Still, the enactment of those major initiatives along mainly partisan lines fed a fierce sense of retribution, a factor that eventually cost Democrats control of Congress and contributed to an increasingly poisonous political atmosphere.
Many on Capitol Hill believe Mrs. Clinton has both the experience and love of the policy process that would allow her to forge a working relationship with congressional Republicans.Many on Capitol Hill believe Mrs. Clinton has both the experience and love of the policy process that would allow her to forge a working relationship with congressional Republicans.
Some lawmakers also think that perhaps the least plausible election outcome — a Trump presidency and a Democratic Senate — could produce some legislative gains.Some lawmakers also think that perhaps the least plausible election outcome — a Trump presidency and a Democratic Senate — could produce some legislative gains.
Whatever the new configuration of government, the incoming president and members of Congress will face real pressure to deliver from a public increasingly fed up with stasis in Washington.Whatever the new configuration of government, the incoming president and members of Congress will face real pressure to deliver from a public increasingly fed up with stasis in Washington.