The Bipartisan Consensus Nobody Talks About

The American political system is designed to produce the appearance of fierce disagreement. Republicans and Democrats fight constantly and loudly about abortion, immigration, and tax rates.

The fights are real. But there's another category of policy, the stuff both parties have voted for consistently across administrations for decades that gets almost no coverage. It doesn't fit the partisan conflict narrative.

That's the real bipartisan consensus. And it's more consequential than what they actually fight about.

Mass Surveillance

Section 702 of FISA, which authorizes warrantless collection of Americans' communications if a foreign national is involved has been reauthorized repeatedly with overwhelming bipartisan majorities. The Patriot Act passed 98-1 in the Senate days after 9/11. The surveillance infrastructure built under Bush was expanded under Obama, maintained under Trump, and preserved under Biden.

Both parties' leadership support it. Civil liberties concerns get raised by a small bipartisan coalition that consistently loses.

Military Spending: The Budget Nobody Actually Debates

The United States spends more on defense than the next ten countries combined...lol. This figure has increased under every administration regardless of party since the Cold War ended. Annual National Defense Authorization Acts pass with large bipartisan majorities.

The core commitment to a defense budget that dwarfs global competitors goes essentially unquestioned by either party's leadership.

Wall Street Bailouts: Socialism for Banks

The 2008 TARP bailout passed with bipartisan support. Both the Bush and Obama administrations oversaw the rescue of institutions deemed too big to fail. Executives responsible kept their jobs. None went to prison. When Silicon Valley Bank collapsed in 2023, the Biden administration moved immediately to protect uninsured depositors above the $250,000 FDIC limit — benefiting wealthy tech investors with no congressional vote.

When large institutions fail, both parties find ways to socialize the losses. When regular people fail, the market runs its course.

Protecting the Two-Party System

The rules that make it nearly impossible for third parties to compete. Ballot access requirements, debate exclusion thresholds, first-past-the-post voting are maintained by both parties. Both parties' survival depends on there being no viable alternative. They cooperate on nothing except ensuring that remains true.

The fights they have are real. The things they agree on are less visible and often more important to the structure of power in America than any election outcome. Its a Uniparty.

Stay Frustrated.