1993-2000 polarization vs. 2009-2016 polarization

[darklordoftech]

How were these polarizing eras similar and how were they different?

Similarities:

- Republicans obstruct everything that the Democrats try to do
- Wild accusations
- Government shutdows
- Congressional hearings

Differences:
- Clinton signed Republican legislation while Obama didn't
- Republicans gained control of both houses during Clinton's first term while the Republicans only gained control of the House during Obama's first term, not gaining control of the Senate until Obama's second term
- Republicans impeached Clinton but never impeached Obama
- Republicans lost seats during Clinton's second term while they gained seats during Obama's second term

Anything I left out?

[GlobeSoc]

The policy difference is wider in the 2009-2016 one, but the same or less personal fighting compared to Bill's (until 2015).

[America Needs R'hllor]

Funny how eras of polarization and obstruction in the modern days happen when Democrats are in power, and it takes a crazy, deranged Republican for the Democrats to become as fervent an opposition as Republicans.

[Deblano]

There were a lot more Conservative Democrats and Liberal Republicans to bridge the divide in the Clinton Era.

Those days are long gone, and are unlikely to come back unless serious electoral reform is enacted.

[dw93]

How were these polarizing eras similar and how were they different?

Similarities:

- Republicans obstruct everything that the Democrats try to do
- Wild accusations
- Government shutdows
- Congressional hearings

Differences:
- Clinton signed Republican legislation while Obama didn't
- Republicans gained control of both houses during Clinton's first term while the Republicans only gained control of the House during Obama's first term, not gaining control of the Senate until Obama's second term
- Republicans impeached Clinton but never impeached Obama
- Republicans lost seats during Clinton's second term while they gained seats during Obama's second term

Anything I left out?

The opposite is true. While The Democrats got clobbered in 1994, they chipped away at the house gains in 96, 98, and 2000 (despite Bush winning the Presidency that year) and were two or three seats away from a house majority by the time Clinton left office. In the Senate, theygained enough Senate seats in 2000 to split the majority (again, despite Bush winning that year).

With Obama, the Dems got clobbered even worse in 2010 despite keeping the Senate, made small gains in both houses in 2012, but got clobbered again in 2014  and lost the Senate that year and in 2016 they made tiny gains. As far as the balance of power is concerned, the GOP of today is much stronger than the GOP of 2001 was, which shows Obama was more damaging to the Dems down ticket than Bill Clinton was.

[Mr. Smith]

Clinton played his hand entirely in his first two years, Obama didn't.

Tom Foley got taken out, Pelosi kept going.

Mitchell retired and his would-be succesor was defeated, this left a wildcard to take over.

Harry Reid kept going, and his would be-successor is currently at the helm.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Funny how eras of polarization and obstruction in the modern days happen when Democrats are in power, and it takes a crazy, deranged Republican for the Democrats to become as fervent an opposition as Republicans.

To be fair, would hyper partisan antics to undermine the President have played well in the weeks, months, years immediately following 9/11?

[Yank2133]

How were these polarizing eras similar and how were they different?

Similarities:

- Republicans obstruct everything that the Democrats try to do
- Wild accusations
- Government shutdows
- Congressional hearings

Differences:
- Clinton signed Republican legislation while Obama didn't
- Republicans gained control of both houses during Clinton's first term while the Republicans only gained control of the House during Obama's first term, not gaining control of the Senate until Obama's second term
- Republicans impeached Clinton but never impeached Obama
- Republicans lost seats during Clinton's second term while they gained seats during Obama's second term

Anything I left out?

The opposite is true. While The Democrats got clobbered in 1994, they chipped away at the house gains in 96, 98, and 2000 (despite Bush winning the Presidency that year) and were two or three seats away from a house majority by the time Clinton left office. In the Senate, theygained enough Senate seats in 2000 to split the majority (again, despite Bush winning that year).

With Obama, the Dems got clobbered even worse in 2010 despite keeping the Senate, made small gains in both houses in 2012, but got clobbered again in 2014  and lost the Senate that year and in 2016 they made tiny gains. As far as the balance of power is concerned, the GOP of today is much stronger than the GOP of 2001 was, which shows Obama was more damaging to the Dems down ticket than Bill Clinton was.

This a bit of a generalization.

Democrats were really overextended in 2006-2010 (they lost in a lot of areas that they had no business winning in 2006 and 2008). A lot of the losses suffered under Obama was a revert back to the mean.

[Nyvin]

It felt like the 1994 backlash was more about economics (maybe gun rights too I guess), while the 2010 backlash was more about racial tensions.

Honestly if Obama was white, people wouldn't be so pissed off about Obamacare, since most of the hatred toward it has always been the perception of it being a giant giveaway to minorities, which it isn't.

[darklordoftech]

It felt like the 1994 backlash was more about economics (maybe gun rights too I guess), while the 2010 backlash was more about racial tensions.

Honestly if Obama was white, people wouldn't be so pissed off about Obamacare, since most of the hatred toward it has always been the perception of it being a giant giveaway to minorities, which it isn't.

Wasn't 1994 also a backlash against Democratic healthcare legislation?

[AtorBoltox]

The difference is the Republican party grew even more deranged and extreme during the Bush presidency

[Lechasseur]

There were a lot more Conservative Democrats and Liberal Republicans to bridge the divide in the Clinton Era.

Those days are long gone, and are unlikely to come back unless serious electoral reform is enacted.

This

[Lechasseur]

Also, I Clinton was definitely to Obama's right, which made it alot easier to work with the GOP and win voters who normally voted GOP (for exemple he won a majority in Louisiana in 1996, which would be impossible for a Democrat except JBE today).