How senators spend 27 percent of their time taunting each other
A Harvard researcher crunches the numbers, and finds that partisan attacks fritter away much of lawmakers' energy

It's hardly a surprise that Congress, more deeply divided than ever, is a hotbed of unproductive name-calling. But now, Harvard professor Gary King has released a thorough statistical study revealing just how much time lawmakers spend launching invective-heavy broadsides against each other. Here's a brief guide to the eerie resemblance between the halls of Congress and a particularly savage elementary-school playground:
What did the study reveal?
King, who's long studied Washington lawmakers' communication methods, has developed a "Grand Unified Theory of Congress" which posits that legislators express themselves in three different ways: Claiming credit for something; laying out their position on a particular issue; or simply advertising themselves to build name recognition. But over the years, King and his researchers began to notice a fourth (and increasingly prominent) dimension: Name-calling. Analyzing 64,033 press releases put out by senators from 2005 to 2007, King and Co. found found that 27 percent of those documents consisted of the legislators launching partisan attacks against their political foes.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Who indulged most heavily in taunts?
Lawmakers in "safe" seats who don't face much of a challenge come election time. These legislators can afford to be more partisan than others, since they run a lower risk of alienating constituents who may shift their support to rival candidates.
Do the bigwigs do it, too?
Yes. Asked to analyze a week's worth of recent press releases, King quickly found instances of name-calling from two of Congress' most prominent leaders. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), for example, said that "Republicans have shown they couldn’t care less about those who have the least.” House Majority Whip Eric Cantor opined that "Democrats have not displayed the same interest [as Republicans] in listening to the American people." Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.), in particular, has made a national name for himself by constantly hurling evermore outrageous insults at Republicans — suggesting, for instance, that every member of the party is a "wholly-owned subsidiary" of the health insurance industry.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
What does this say about D.C.?
"No wonder they can’t get anything done," says Frederick E. Allen at Forbes. Yeah, and "it's not like the rise of taunting has come about because of some sudden spike in political courage," says Jason Linkins at The Huffington Post. King was also downcast about his conclusions. "The entire government may go bankrupt, I guess. This week, right?" he told the The Washington Post. "We probably want our representatives to be listening to each other rather than calling each other names."
Does everyone think this is so bad?
No. Chastizing opponents can serve an important political purpose, says Yale professor David Mayhew, as quoted by the Post. You’ve got to have an opposition that taunts and a government that taunts back” to highlight their differences on key issues, he said. And some observers find King's data relatively cheering: 27 percent is "much lower than we would have expected. It's great news!" says Gawker.
Sources: Washington Post, Gawker, Forbes, Huffington Post
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published