Vote for GOP in '26 to End Gridlock

I often speak with people who ask why there are so many fights over bills in Congress.

One reason for this is divisiveness nationally, demonstrated by results of many close elections. I also believe it's a result of razor-slim majorities in Congress.

It has been well over a decade since any party has had a sizable majority in controlling either the House or Senate.

When a U.S. political party holds only a razor‑thin majority in Congress, passing its legislation becomes significantly more difficult.

With slim margins, party leaders can't afford many defections, making it challenging to pass appropriations bills or major proposals.

This dynamic has contributed to increasing reliance on continuing resolutions (CRs) —temporary funding measures employed when Congress can't agree on full appropriations. (Read more here: House passes GOP funding bill, sending it to Senate before shutdown deadline - CBS News)

Until very recently, CRs have become a routine fallback because they require less consensus than full appropriations bills, reflecting the legislative gridlock that arises when neither party has a sizeable governing margin.

However, as we saw in the 2025 federal government shutdown, and the recent partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), even CRs have recently become more contentious. (More here: Continuing Resolutions: Overview of Components and Practices | Congress.gov | Library of Congress)

The difficulty of passing legislation today is also shaped by our modern media environment.

Forty years ago, congressional negotiations occurred out of public view, allowing lawmakers more freedom to compromise without immediate political backlash.

Contrast that with today's 24‑hour news cycle and social media influence, regarding controversy and conflict.

Members of Congress can often gain national attention — and political fundraising advantages — by either taking hardline positions or generating viral moments on cable news.

This makes bipartisan deal‑making less attractive.

The unrelenting media spotlight encourages legislators to perform for their ideological base rather than engage in quiet negotiation, contributing to the heightened polarization characterizing today's Congress.

While the media environment is not the sole cause of gridlock, it incentivizes confrontation over cooperation, making it harder to assemble broad coalitions needed for major legislation.

Despite this, there is some good news.

Although partisan fights dominate public attention, a significant amount of legislation still passes with bipartisan support.

Less than two years ago, GovTrack looked at 56 bills voted on and found that 59% of those were very bipartisan, 28% were somewhat bipartisan, and only 12.5% of these bills received a party line vote. (Details here: Congress is busy with under-the-radar bipartisan legislation - The Fulcrum)

Still, the most visible legislation (such as major budget packages, social policy reforms, or high‑stakes regulatory changes) often passes on narrow party‑line votes.

This contrast highlights a dual reality: while bipartisan cooperation remains common in lower‑profile areas, the legislation that shapes national political discussions is increasingly polarized.

One example of where partisanship is currently on display in the Senate is in the SAVE America Act, a bill to require that voters show ID to vote.

Polls show that Americans support this concept, regardless of party. Overall, 81% of voters support a voter ID requirement, with 95% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats being in favor.

Congressional Republicans overwhelmingly support this measure, which has already passed the House.

Unfortunately, Congressional Democrats think citizens are wrong on this issue, so they are holding the bill up in the Senate. (Details: Bipartisan support for some voting policy proposals, wide partisan gaps on others | Pew Research Center)

You may be wondering how the Democrats are able to stall this legislation given that Republicans have a Senate majority, holding 53 out of the 100 seats.

The answer is the Senate filibuster, a rule that requires most legislation to reach a 60-vote margin in order for the Senate to proceed to vote on a bill.

This means that Republicans would need at least seven Democrats to support moving the bill forward. Democrats are having none of it and are filibustering the bill because they are sure they know more than 80% of the citizens they claim to represent. ( More: Filibuster Actually Lessens Senate’s Power | RealClearPolitics)

This brings us to why it's vitally important that American citizens vote to keep Republicans in the majority in the House and Senate during the midterm elections.

President Trump is working to undo the damage that Democrats did to our country during Joe Biden’s term.

Additionally, he's vowed to protect Social Security, which I believe is a pledge to fix the rapidly draining Social Security OASDI Trust Fund so retirees don't face future benefit cuts.

Democrats are currently being obstructionist on a voter ID measure favored by over 80% of the electorate.

They have also pledged to obstruct President Trump, just as they did in his first term, if they regain power in this year's midterm elections. Their antics during the first Trump administration, combined with their disastrous policies during the Biden years, should earn them a permanent spot on the sidelines.

Please join me in voting for Republicans this year to keep our country moving forward.

For more information, please visit www.JoeFromTexas.com.

Joe from Texas is a family man with children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He's experienced tremendous success and lived the American Dream. His beliefs are both straightforward and deeply held. He believes in God, his family, and the United States of America. Read more Joe Penland, Sr. Insider articles Click Here Now.