Congressional compromise is vital to restore trust in government and maintain democracy.

Last week, when President Joseph Biden signed bipartisan legislation to suspend the federal debt ceiling until January 2025, the United States narrowly avoided a default that would have devastated the American and global economies. But the near miss also highlighted the contradictory reality of US politics: even as partisan polarization fuels a cycle of institutional dysfunction and public mistrust, many in Congress continue to work across the aisle—and often below the radar—to mitigate the damage and address genuine policy challenges.

The peaceful reconciliation of competing ideas is a core feature of democracy. By imposing checks and balances on political power, democratic systems require elected officials, and the citizens they represent, to consider multiple views, negotiate differences, and accept mixed outcomes. The results of policymaking rarely please everyone, but participants who engage in the process can at least make their case, advance shared interests, and help prevent grave errors.

Acts of compromise and collaboration also build public confidence in governing institutions. So long as those institutions adhere to democratic standards, individuals have some assurance that their views are being represented, and that there will be many future opportunities to correct any decisions they consider unwise or unjust.