Party‑discipline asymmetry as governance risk

When one major party enforces near‑total caucus unity while the other tolerates wide internal dissent, the result can simultaneously preserve deliberation and sabotage coordinated policy action; this asymmetry is a structural attribute that shapes whether legislatures can enact coherent reforms or repeatedly fail on straightforward votes. — Understanding party‑discipline asymmetry reframes debates about democratic dysfunction: it identifies a predictable institutional vulnerability that affects budget choices, oversight of foreign‑policy funding, and the durability of public programs.