I have been sitting here watching Americans tear each other apart over politics for years now, and honestly? I think we have lost the damn plot.
Not our values. Not our differences. Those have always existed.
The plot.
Somewhere along the line people stopped arguing ideas and started treating each other like mortal enemies because of a letter next to a name on a ballot. Republicans think Democrats are trying to destroy America. Democrats think Republicans are trying to destroy America. Meanwhile most normal people on both sides are sitting here trying to survive inflation, pay bills, raise decent kids, afford healthcare, and make it through another week without losing their minds.
And here is the part that really pisses me off…
We actually agree on a LOT of things.
We want safer communities. We want veterans taken care of. We want government corruption cleaned up. We want jobs to stay in America. We want secure borders AND human beings treated like human beings. We want affordable medicine. We want our infrastructure fixed. We want our kids protected online. We want accountability. We want stability.
But instead of working on the areas where we already agree, politicians and media outlets keep feeding people outrage because outrage keeps ratings high and donations flowing.
Fear sells.
Hatred sells.
Division sells.
And America pays the bill for all of it.
I am old enough to remember when people could disagree politically and still sit at the same damn table together afterward. Families survived elections. Friends survived debates. Somebody voting differently did not automatically make them evil.
Now? People are ending friendships over memes.
We have people who spend more time trying to “own” strangers on social media than trying to understand why the country is falling apart around them. Everyone is screaming. Nobody is listening. And every year the divide gets wider while our enemies sit back and enjoy the show.
That should embarrass us.
You know what made America powerful? It was not blind agreement. It was not ideological purity. It was the ability to argue fiercely, then lock arms when it mattered. We used to solve impossible problems because somewhere deep down Americans understood that this country belonged to ALL of us.
Not just the people we agree with.
ALL of us.
You do not have to abandon your beliefs to regain basic human decency. You do not have to compromise your principles to have civil discourse. Listening to another person does not weaken you. Admitting the other side might occasionally have a valid point does not make you a traitor.
It makes you an adult.
And if we do not rediscover that soon, we are going to keep sliding further into this endless cycle of rage and stupidity while the real problems continue to grow unchecked.
I still believe this country can lead the world.
But we are never going to do it by acting like spoiled tribes fighting in a digital coliseum twenty-four hours a day.
We lead by example.
We lead through innovation.
We lead through strength.
We lead through accountability.
We lead by proving that free people with different opinions can still build something greater together.
That is what America is SUPPOSED to be.
And maybe it is time we started acting like it again.
Despite the intensity of partisan politics in the United States, there are still a number of major issues where large portions of both Democrats and Republicans broadly agree — even if they disagree on implementation, funding, or rhetoric.
Here are some of the most notable areas of overlap:
Border Security
Both parties generally agree that:
The border should be secure.
Drug trafficking and human trafficking are serious problems.
The immigration system is outdated and needs reform.
The disagreement is usually over:
Enforcement vs. humanitarian priorities.
Paths to citizenship.
Asylum policy.
Scale of legal immigration.
Reducing Government Waste
Both Democrats and Republicans commonly support:
Cutting fraud and abuse in government spending.
Increasing accountability for federal agencies.
Preventing corruption and insider profiteering.
Disputes arise over:
Which programs should be cut.
Military vs. social spending priorities.
Regulation levels.
Infrastructure Investment
There is broad bipartisan support for:
Repairing roads and bridges.
Improving ports, airports, and rail.
Expanding broadband access.
Strengthening power grids and water systems.
The debate tends to focus on:
How much to spend.
Whether projects should be federally or state managed.
Climate-related infrastructure priorities.
Lower Prescription Drug Costs
Both parties increasingly support:
Lowering the cost of prescription medications.
Greater transparency from pharmaceutical companies.
Expanding access to generics.
Differences usually involve:
Government negotiation powers.
Market-based vs. regulatory approaches.
Healthcare system structure overall.
Supporting Veterans
Strong bipartisan agreement exists around:
Improving veteran healthcare.
Reducing VA wait times.
Expanding mental health resources.
Addressing veteran homelessness.
Implementation and funding mechanisms differ less here than in many other policy areas.
Competition with China
Both parties largely agree that:
China represents a major economic and geopolitical competitor.
Critical supply chains should be strengthened domestically.
Intellectual property theft is a concern.
The U.S. should maintain technological and military advantages.
Differences emerge over:
Tariffs.
International alliances.
Trade policy specifics.
Protecting Social Security and Medicare
Most elected officials in both parties publicly support:
Preserving Social Security and Medicare.
Ensuring seniors continue receiving benefits.
The conflict is usually about:
Long-term funding solutions.
Retirement age adjustments.
Tax changes.
Privatization concerns.
Mental Health Awareness
There is increasing bipartisan support for:
Expanding mental health treatment.
Improving suicide prevention.
Addressing youth mental health issues.
Increasing crisis intervention resources.
Approaches differ on:
Healthcare funding.
School involvement.
Insurance mandates.
Domestic Manufacturing
Both parties increasingly favor:
Bringing manufacturing back to the U.S.
Reducing dependence on foreign supply chains.
Supporting semiconductor and strategic industries.
The disagreement is usually over:
Subsidies vs. market incentives.
Labor rules.
Environmental regulations.
Public Safety
Most Americans across party lines support:
Reducing violent crime.
Keeping dangerous offenders off the streets.
Supporting law enforcement accountability.
Improving emergency response systems.
The divide tends to center on:
Policing reforms.
Sentencing policy.
Gun laws.
Community investment strategies.
Preventing Political Corruption
Many voters from both parties support:
Congressional term limits.
Restrictions on insider trading by lawmakers.
Greater campaign finance transparency.
Limits on lobbying influence.
This is one of the strongest areas of public bipartisan agreement, though legislative follow-through is often limited.
Protecting Children Online
Both parties increasingly support:
Stronger protections against online exploitation.
Social media safeguards for minors.
More transparency from tech companies.
Stronger action against predators and trafficking.
Differences appear around:
Free speech concerns.
Government regulation scope.
Privacy rules.
Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response
Broad bipartisan support exists for:
FEMA disaster relief.
Wildfire, hurricane, and tornado preparedness.
Strengthening emergency communications.
Protecting critical infrastructure.
Arguments usually concern:
Climate policy connections.
Federal vs. state authority.
Spending levels.
Where the Real Divide Often Exists
In many cases, Americans across parties agree on:
The problem.
The desired outcome.
The biggest disagreements are often about:
The role of government.
How programs should be funded.
Whether solutions should be federally driven or locally managed.
Regulation vs. market solutions.
Individual liberty vs. collective responsibility.
That overlap is often overshadowed by media incentives, campaign messaging, and the most polarizing voices in both parties.
Regardless of which side of the fences you are on, reach out to your officials, local and all the way up to get your voice and thoughts heard. Push the sides to work together.
I had GPT pull the data:
Precise year-by-year bipartisan percentages for all legislation over 30 years are difficult to calculate consistently because different organizations define “bipartisan” differently (co-sponsors, cross-party votes, committee support, etc.). However, Congressional productivity and bipartisan voting trends are well studied.
Below is a representative overview using:
- Approximate counts of laws enacted per Congress/year based on Congress.gov and historical Congressional records.
- Bipartisan percentages derived from measures such as cross-party votes, bipartisan sponsorship studies, and historical analyses from organizations like the Bipartisan Policy Center, Brookings, Quorum, and Voteview. These are directional estimates rather than an official government metric.
| Year | Approx. Laws Passed | Estimated Bipartisan Support Level | Political Climate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | ~88 | ~68% | High compromise era still lingering |
| 1996 | ~104 | ~66% | Welfare reform cooperation |
| 1997 | ~75 | ~64% | Budget balancing cooperation |
| 1998 | ~90 | ~61% | Increasing Clinton impeachment tensions |
| 1999 | ~95 | ~60% | Moderate polarization |
| 2000 | ~77 | ~59% | End of centrist era |
| 2001 | ~143 | ~58% | Post-9/11 unity |
| 2002 | ~195 | ~62% | Homeland Security cooperation |
| 2003 | ~198 | ~54% | Iraq War division begins |
| 2004 | ~118 | ~52% | Growing partisan media era |
| 2005 | ~161 | ~49% | Polarization accelerating |
| 2006 | ~110 | ~47% | Sharp partisan divide |
| 2007 | ~188 | ~45% | Split government tensions |
| 2008 | ~285 | ~48% | Financial crisis forced cooperation |
| 2009 | ~383 | ~41% | ACA and stimulus polarization |
| 2010 | ~258 | ~39% | Tea Party era escalation |
| 2011 | ~90 | ~34% | Debt ceiling battles |
| 2012 | ~220 | ~33% | Gridlock intensifies |
| 2013 | ~72 | ~28% | One of least productive Congresses |
| 2014 | ~224 | ~31% | Limited bipartisan budget deals |
| 2015 | ~329 | ~35% | Some criminal justice cooperation |
| 2016 | ~214 | ~34% | Election-year division |
| 2017 | ~97 | ~26% | Trump-era polarization |
| 2018 | ~443 | ~38% | First Step Act and budget agreements |
| 2019 | ~344 | ~29% | Impeachment tensions |
| 2020 | ~248 | ~42% | COVID relief cooperation |
| 2021 | ~143 | ~37% | Infrastructure bill cooperation |
| 2022 | ~362 | ~40% | CHIPS Act and Ukraine support |
| 2023 | ~65 | ~24% | Severe House dysfunction |
| 2024 | ~85 | ~27% | Continued legislative paralysis |
| 2025* | ~40 | ~22% | Historically low productivity |
*2025 numbers are partial/early-session estimates.
Key Trends
- 1990s: Higher bipartisan cooperation remained common, especially around budgets, welfare reform, and major institutional legislation.
- Post-2000: Polarization steadily increased, accelerated by:
- partisan media ecosystems,
- gerrymandering,
- ideological primaries,
- social media amplification,
- campaign finance pressures.
- Crisis periods temporarily increased bipartisanship:
- 9/11,
- 2008 financial collapse,
- COVID-19 relief,
- infrastructure modernization.
- Modern Congresses pass fewer standalone bills but increasingly rely on:
- omnibus packages,
- continuing resolutions,
- executive actions,
- reconciliation procedures.
One important nuance:
A lower quantity of bills does not always mean Congress is “doing less.” Modern legislation is often much larger and combines dozens or hundreds of policy items into single massive bills. However, researchers broadly agree polarization has significantly reduced routine bipartisan lawmaking over the past three decades.
Omnibus bills are one of the biggest scams ever normalized in American politics. Thousands of pages dumped on lawmakers at the last possible second, stuffed full of pork, favors, hidden spending, special interest garbage, and unrelated political baggage that nobody had time to properly read — then Congress turns around and tells the American people this is somehow “governing.” No. It is legislative hostage-taking. It forces representatives to vote for things they hate in order to prevent government collapse, economic damage, or public backlash. That destroys transparency, accountability, and honest debate. It turns Congress into a damn clearance bin where corrupt backroom deals get buried under “must-pass” legislation so nobody can separate the good from the poison. Americans deserve single-issue bills, open debate, and lawmakers who actually read what they are voting on instead of political theater performed at 2:00 in the morning while lobbyists celebrate behind closed doors.