One-Party Control
Critical Analysis
What portion of Americans think it is better to have a president who comes from the same party that controls Congress?
Describe two trends in the data over the past two decades.
What story does the data tell about the current American attitudes towards one-party control of the federal government?
Why do you think that is?
Explain how much you believe this attitude about one-party control will impact the 2020 presidential election?
Claim: people think about Trump or Biden when they vote for president. They don’t think about one party control of the federal government when they vote. Explain whether you think this claim is true.
There is also another branch of the federal government. Which party controls the judiciary?
There is also another layer of government. Which party controls state level governments?
What is the political science-ninja term for the opposite of one party control of the government?
Make a claim about whether you personally think it is better to have a president who comes from the same party that controls Congress.
How do you think political party affiliation impacts whether Americans think it is better to have a president who comes from the same party that controls Congress?*
What do you think James, “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition,” Madison would think about one-party controlled government?
Describe some policies you think would be enacted under a Biden Presidency with Democratic control of the House and the Senate.
After a week (was it a week or a year????) where Trump’s tax returns were revealed, Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, and Trump got COVID-19 (notice that I didn’t mention Biden once). Explain who you think is going to win the election.
Learning Extension
Read the Gallup Polling report on attitudes towards one-party controlled government.
Action Extension
If you like divided-government you can do something about that by volunteering your time and energy. Get to work to elect a Democratic Congress and a Republican President or get to work to elect a Republican Congress and a Democratic President. If you like one-party government, get to work!
