ABSTRACT
Proponents and opponents of a bipartisan foreign policy generally agree on the strengths and weaknesses of such a policy, but they give different weights to them. Proponents also contend that support from both parties ensures that a policy survives changes resulting from elections. Opponents emphasize the necessity of critical debate on a policy and the danger that a bipartisan policy may stifle criticism for a variety of reasons. The degree of accountability for any specific foreign policy even without bipartisanship may be questioned. When a foreign policy is clearly the responsibility of the President and his party in Congress, ideally citizens can oppose the policy by voting against candidates of the party responsible. Many policy analysts agree that bipartisan foreign policy has a mixed record. One observer concluded: The bipartisan approach to foreign relations has neither met the expectations of its most dedicated adherents nor justified the strident cries of its severest critics.
