On Working With Congress, Biden Predicts Success Where Predecessors Failed
Party polarization has been increasing for the last few decades. As a result, it is harder for presidents to pass legislature in Congress, especially when Congress is split. This was evident in the second term of President Obama's presidency, when "Mr. Obama all but abandoned hope for large-scale legislative victories, turning to executive actions instead." President Trump also ran into a similar issue during his presidency. Especially following the claims by many Republicans that the 2020 election was fraudulent, President-elect Biden will face a "sharply divided Congress" when he takes office next month. Even so, Biden expressed that he believes he will be able to bridge the wide partisan gap. He cited, for instance, that Americans have come to more of a consensus on climate change and that they realize the need for more aggressive action. Although recent polls show that the public is sharply divided about pandemic restrictions, Biden's hope for bipartisan collaboration will certainly be possible and needed in order to effectively address the pressing issues that we face today.