4 CHAPTER 1|UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS
Ultimately, a deal was reached that raised the debt limit, implemented cuts
in federal spending, and established a bipartisan committee to recommend
additional cuts—a commission that ultimately failed, however. The prolonged
negotiations contributed to declines in the stock market and the decision by a key
bond ratings agency to lower its ratings on federal bonds.
How did this happen? How did politicians decide to push debate over the debt
limit right to the brink, to the point of harming the American economy? The
episode seems like a classic example of elected offi cials creating confl ict in
order to gain political advantage, ignoring the damage they were doing to the
country as a whole.
However, political motivations are only a partial explanation. Debates
over budgets and debt limits are not just about money; they are also about
determining what government does. How much should the government
spend on defense—but also how should America’s armed forces be used?
How much should be spent on Medicare—but also what are the limits on the
government’s responsibility to provide health care to senior citizens? How much
taxes should people with different incomes pay—but should people get tax
breaks for purchasing a home, adopting a child, or certain other actions? Every
disagreement over taxing and spending contains a disagreement over policies
like these.
Differences among Democrats and Republicans in Congress refl ect real
divisions among American citizens. If the debate was only about the size of
the federal budget, it might be easy to fi nd a compromise. But since the
debate is over policy as well as spending, both sides have to make multiple
offers and counteroffers before a compromise wins enough support to be
enacted.
Two features of the legislative process provide additional insight into the
debt limit negotiations. First, the fact that legislation was required to raise
the debt limit was not inevitable. However, requiring a separate vote gives
members of Congress an opportunity to oppose the limit and thereby gain
favor with constituents who worry about excessive government spending—but
only if enough of their colleagues forgo these benefi ts and vote to increase the
limit. Thus the debt limit vote illustrates the trade-off members face between
maintaining and building political support on the one hand, and doing what is
necessary to keep the government in business on the other. Second, the fact
that America in 2011 had a divided government (Democrats controlled the
Senate and the presidency, and a Republican majority controlled the House
of Representatives) meant that a bipartisan compromise was necessary for
success: even if one party could get all its members to support a deal, they
could not enact it without some support from the other party. Reaching this
compromise required intense negotiation.
This example shows how digging below the surface of political events can help
to explain why things happen in American politics—and in particular, why raising
the debt limit was so diffi cult. Our goal is to give you a similar understanding
of the entire range of American politics. Indeed, the central theme of this book
is that politics is about confl ict and compromise. People often view political
compromise as “selling out” or giving up on core values and principles. However,
because Americans disagree over what to do about most policy questions,
confl ict is an essential part of politics and compromise is usually needed to enact
changes in government policy.CHAPTER goals
Describe the basic
functions of government.
¾ PAGES 6–9
Defi ne politics and identify
three key ideas that help
explain politics.
¾ PAGES 9–13
Identify major sources
of confl ict in American
politics.
¾ PAGES 14–18