One Obstacle among Many: The Filibuster and Majority Party Agendas

Abstract In today’s hyper-partisan environment, scholars and commentators contend that the filibuster poses a nearly insuperable obstacle to Senate majority party’s agenda, limiting Congress’s output non-controversial measures. Drawing on data about congressional party agenda priorities from 1985 2020 we identify when how legislative efforts fell short of success take stock degree which was primary culprit. Not surprisingly, our confirm is significant problem for agendas. But an even more common cause failure inability agree among themselves. Despite increased voting cohesion generally, parties in polarized era still routinely struggle bridge their own internal divides.