In a past era, while members of congress from the two political parties differed as to their position on many major domestic and foreign policy issues, they frequently would reach compromises which each could live with and enact legislation to address many of our nation’s more controversial problems. These days neither house of congress seems able to respond with solutions to the majority of our nation’s most pressing problems, failing in recent years to enact little meaningful legislation to address a whole series of national issues. We call this legislative inaction “congressional gridlock”. It most frequently occurs when the president and the majority in one or both houses of congress are of different political parties.

Assignment:

(1) Identify and explain in some detail the causes for congressional gridlock and any solutions you come across in doing your research.

(2) Provide at least two examples of how gridlock in recent years has prevented the passage of specific pieces of legislation intended to address one or more of our nation’s most pressing problems. These problems include infrastructure, tax reform, immigration, healthcare, entitlement reform, gun violence, income stagnation, global climate change, budget deficits, the national debt and a strong national defense and other major issues upon which the two political party have differing positions and seem unable to reach a legislative compromise that become law.

Writing Guidelines:

• 4-5 double spaced pages of text
• Write in complete sentences and paragraphs. Bullet points or lists will not be accepted.
• Be original – All papers submitted in this class are reviewed via Turnitin.com, a proprietary software database that identifies unoriginal material in papers. Please review the syllabus statement regarding the penalty for plagiarism. Your instructor can provide you with additional information.
• Refer to the GUIDELINES FOR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS content page for additional writing assignment criteria.

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