Julian E. Zelizer: Gridlock Hurts Democrats, Helps Republicans

Julian E. Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. He is the author of "Jimmy Carter" (Times Books) and editor of a book assessing former President George W. Bush's administration, published by Princeton University Press. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian E. Zelizer.

Washington is stifled by gridlock. As New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said in his speech at the Ronald Reagan Library, "We drift from conflict to conflict, with little or no resolution."

Even the most routine budgeting decisions turn into high-stakes showdowns with threats of default and government shutdowns. The party leaders are deep into a mindset with which they feel free to threaten, cajole and refuse to act until the very last moment. Big decisions are put off. Small issues are barely resolved.

Gridlock, however, is not politically neutral. The conventional wisdom is that under current conditions nothing gets done -- and neither party benefits. But in fact, the chronic battles over budget decisions tend to benefit the Republican agenda.

While it seems that neither side is making progress when the government machine grinds to a halt, in fact Democrats keep losing as the agenda shifts toward the right.

Gridlock benefits Republicans and, more broadly, conservative politics, for several reasons....