We Saw It Coming” — George W. Bush Breaks Silence, Warns of Legislative Gridlock and Hidden Policy Risks

But over time, political divisions deepened, particularly over the war in Iraq and domestic policy initiatives.

Major legislative efforts during Bush’s presidency included:

The No Child Left Behind education reform

Tax cuts in 2001 and 2003

Medicare prescription drug expansion

Financial rescue efforts during the 2008 crisis

By the end of his presidency, however, political cooperation had deteriorated significantly.Politics

The financial crisis exposed the difficulty of passing emergency legislation in an increasingly polarized Congress.

Many analysts see this moment as the beginning of the modern era of legislative stalemate.