Question

A president's legislative initiatives are significantly more successful when the president

Answer 1

A president's legislative initiatives are significantly more successful when the President is a member of the same party as Congress.

This is due to a system that rewards legislative accomplishment and legislative obstruction.

If the President is a member of a different party from Congress, then there is a good chance that the members of Congress will be unwilling, in the current environment, to "reach" across the aisle and work with the President on legislation.