Policy Without Compromise?

This chapter examines how constituents view the legislative priorities and tactics of members of Congress. Voters desire action on policy, but does this motivation extend to support for compromise? With razor-thin majorities in Congress, bipartisanship is often required to successfully pass significant legislation. This fact is regularly acknowledged by congressional leaders and pundits alike. Indeed, the virtues of compromise are often exalted by senior officeholders nostalgic for a past era of bipartisan deal-making. Attentive voters, however, are less enthusiastic in response to policy moderation. Looking at novel survey data, I find that while the median voter nominally supports compromise, these attitudes are far from universal. Partisan respondents who are more politically active and attuned to national politics are more likely to oppose compromise and support obstructionism, particularly on the right. These findings have important implications for officeholder calculations and Congress as a whole. If engaged voters want policy, but view compromise as unacceptable, then the electorate's expectations will go unmet and institutional credibility suffers in turn.