March 24, 2024
Want bipartisan government again? Try this
By William Manning
Pundits prattle profusely about political polarity, gridlock, and how divided the United States is. But the country wasn’t mired in gridlock in 1968.
Lyndon Johnson (LBJ) was the sitting president. He had been elected in a landslide. After this historic victory, Democrats enjoyed majorities of 68-32 in the Senate and 295-140 in the House of Representatives. Democrats controlled the House from 1933 to 1995, excepting 1947–1949 and 1953–1955, and the Senate from 1933–1981 with the same exceptions.
Important bipartisan legislation was implemented during this period. In 1965, Democrats were the party of Jim Crow and segregation. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed the House with 153 Democrat votes. Without 136 Republican votes, the legislation would have failed. In the Senate, only 47 Democrats voted for the bill, which would have died in filibuster without the support of 30 Republican senators. Republicans have always been, and continue to be, the party of civil rights, liberty, and democracy.
During this era, Republicans supported important legislation and otherwise fulfilled the role of loyal opposition. The collaborative government the pundits pine for exists when one party dominates.
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https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/03/want_bipartisan_government_again_try_this.html
