Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of a divided government and a unified government.

What will be an ideal response?

Divided government occurs when the president and Congress are from two different political parties; unified government exists when the president and Congress are from the same political party. Students should then point out that in unified government, legislation is passed much more quickly, the power of the veto is rarely exercised, and policy change can occur quickly. This is great if the goals of the prevailing party are beneficial to the country. If not, unified government gives the opportunity for the prevailing party to steamroll its agenda through the executive and legislative branches. Many political observers feel that divided government offers a much more “healthy” alternative to Americans since it offers another check on unwieldy power.