Bipartisan

Technically, this refers to any cooperative effort that brings together both major political parties in mutual agreement. In recent years as partisanship has become more extreme, the word "bipartisan" has come to take on negative connotations for some groups.

From both a left-wing and a libertarian perspective, bipartisan efforts often reflect a collusion between major political parties in a way that maintains their power, typically in the service of special interests (e.g. finance, agriculture).

QUESTIONS TO PLAY WITH:

  • Bipartisan used to be widely seen as a positive, encouraging thing – but more and more people now see it with skepticism. Why do you think public perceptions of this term have changed?
  • In your mind, is there such a thing as bipartisan as a negative thing? If so, how does a negative bipartisan effort differ from a positive bipartisan effort?