The divided government of 2019 is a mirror image of the divided government of 2011. Back then, Democrats controlled the White House and Senate, while Republicans had recently taken control of the House with a big victory in the 2010 midterm elections. Today, Republicans control the White House and Senate, while Democrats have recently taken control of the House with a big victory in the 2018 midterm elections.
It’s the same situation, essentially. But today there is a vastly different public conversation about the balance of power in government. These days, we are often reminded that Congress is a coequal branch of government, and therefore, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., stands on an even level with President Trump. Back in 2011, when the two players were Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and President Barack Obama, there wasn’t as much of that kind of talk.
