The legislative agenda

What Would You Do? Will You Support the Budget Plan Proposed By Congress?

INSTRUCTIONS: In this activity, you assume the role of the President who has received a memo about the difficulty of passing budget bills under divided government. With the opposition party in control of Congress, you will consider arguments for and against accepting the legislative agenda, cast your vote and then provide a written explanation of your decision.

INTRODUCTION: To: President Lucy Barr

From: Talya Potter, Director, Office of Legislative Affairs

Subject: Passing budget bills under divided government

With the opposition party in control of Congress, media pundits and other commentators are calling for the president to accept the other party’s agenda for the next round of budget bills.

To Consider: 

In the latest budget battle between the White House and Congress, the pressure on the president to accept a compromise with his political opponents is great, given the looming threat of not only a government shutdown but also a debt default by the United States for the first time in the history of the American republic.

Arguments for:

1. With a reelection battle around the corner, the president cannot afford to get caught up in a budget battle with Congress.

2. The president’s ability to gain public support for her agenda is limited, and even increased public support will not improve leverage with Congress.

3. The president should defer to Congress as the primary representative of the people in American politics.

Arguments against:

1. American politics is guided too often by campaigns, and the president will build support for reelection by acting presidential—that is, by setting the agenda for the budget and not backing down.

2. The president can build public support through speeches and other forms of communication, and this support can be used as political capital to negotiate with Congress.

3. The president is the only nationally elected official in American politics (other than the vice president), and therefore is responsible for identifying and promoting public priorities, even if this means legislative battles with Congress.

Additional Research: 

The following links present information about the pros and cons of divided government. Choose at least one “pro” link and one “con” link, and make sure to read through the entire text. Once you have enough information, you will move onto the next part of the activity and decide either to work with the majority party in Congress by supporting the budget plan, OR to oppose the majority party in Congress by rejecting the plan.

Pro (negotiating with opposition party): 

https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/case-divided-government

https://www.rollcall.com/news/divided-government-five-deals

Con (standing up to opposition party): 

https://www.usnews.com/opinion/debate-club/articles/2016-10-27/divided-government-has-become-dysfunctional-government

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/11/what-the-founders-couldnt-have-known/382867/

Will you favor the budget plan proposed by the Congress or oppose it? Why?