GOP majorities defer to split government

Historically, American voters have been reluctant to hand over the legislative and executive branches of government to a single party's control, although it has happened from time to time.

Some political analysts and historians reason that voters are shrewd enough to weigh such considerations when they go to the polls on Election Day, and certainly some of them are. But the fact that one political party or the other wins a majority in the House or Senate or occupies the White House is more likely the result of other factors that influence voters' choices.

There has always been, in some quarters, a bit of skittishness about having one-party government.

When American voters are asked to quantify their concerns, they cite programs they don't like or officeholders with whom they disagree.

At the same time, voters who say they have no concerns about one-party control usually refer to the passage of programs they favor.

Since the 2000 election, Republicans have had majorities in the House and Senate at the same time George W. Bush has occupied the White House. As a result, both sides of the one-party issue have been heard from. Democrats worry that major legislation favored by Republicans -- logjammed by Democrats -- will be steamrolled into law. Republicans, on the other hand, see opportunities to enact programs that were stymied for so long.

But the plain fact is that the balance between Republicans and Democrats is so thin that Congress is still split on major issues. Since Bush's inauguration in January 2001, bipartisan votes have given broad approval to the use of military force in Iraq and major tax cuts to be spread over the next decade. With U.S. troops now engaged in the war in Iraq, both parties continue to show their support for the military. The position on tax cuts has wavered, however, with the Senate voting 51-48 last week to cut the Bush plan for $726 billion in cuts through 2013 to $350 billion, citing growing deficits and the unknown cost of the war.

Another vote last week, which would have allowed oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, was defeated by a 52-48 margin. Congressional leaders say the issue is dead for now.

In both cases -- the tax cuts and ANWR drilling -- the voting results hinged not on one party or the other, but on a handful of Republicans and Democrats who value their re-election chances as their highest priority. Eight Republicans, all in environmentally sensitive districts, voted again oil drilling, while five Democrats, mainly from districts with heavy membership in unions that favor less dependence on foreign oil, voted for the ANWR oil exploration.

As for the tax cuts, a handful of Republicans voted for the reduction, mostly as a hedge against voters who next year may question the wisdom of tax cuts when the bills for the war have to be paid. This view ignores the economic stimulus of tax cuts that would boost the economy and move the government out of deficits once again.

For now, Americans need not worry that one-party domination will have any undue influence on major government agencies or policies. Neither party appears to be compromising its position in these areas, while a few legislators will continue to seek favorable deals in exchange for their votes.