Historical Bipartisanship Often Coincides With National Crisis!

History strongly suggests that major bipartisan legislation often coincides with national crisis or urgent challenges:

Shared urgency: Both parties face pressure to act quickly to prevent economic collapse, security threats, or humanitarian disasters.
Public demand for unity: Voters expect cooperation during emergencies, making obstruction politically costly.
Clear common goals: Crises clarify priorities (e.g., stabilize economy, protect lives), reducing ideological disputes.

Great Depression → New Deal programs (1930s): While largely Democratic-led, some bipartisan support emerged for relief and recovery measures.
World War II → War mobilization laws (1940s): Near-unanimous bipartisan backing for defense spending and GI Bill.
9/11 → USA PATRIOT Act (2001): Passed overwhelmingly to strengthen security.
2008 Financial Crisis → TARP (2008): Bipartisan effort to stabilize banks.
COVID-19 Pandemic → CARES Act (2020): Nearly unanimous passage for economic relief.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021): Framed as economic recovery post-pandemic.

Bipartisan laws outside crises do exist (e.g., Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, First Step Act in 2018), but they are less frequent and often require years of negotiation.