A Rare Bipartisan Success for Congress

The Wall Street Journal (online registration required): This year’s Congress, best known for polarization and gridlock, ended with a rare bipartisan coalition staggering across the finish line, setting up a test of whether a political center could be sustained on other issues next year.

The Senate passed a $1.1 trillion spending bill late Saturday night by a 56-40 vote that crisscrossed party lines, reflecting a desire by both parties to keep the government open and end Congress’s tormented year. It also pointed to some broader political dynamics that could outlast the lame-duck session. The House had approved the spending bill two days earlier.

Read article