Political Paralysis in D.C.

The standoff over the debt crisis in Washington D.C. is a painful reminder of the dysfunctional state of politics today. It’s depressing that the country stands almost a week away from a technical default that will likely result in the loss of over 1m jobs and 1.0% of GDP growth. It’s a shame that partisan divisions in Congress have created such uncertainty. Washington D.C. seems incapable of cooperation and collaboration.

Many political scientists have long dreamed of American parties that were more ideologically pure and coherent (similar to European parties). Today’s political environment is a realization of this dream - and unfortunately, it’s terrible. The fact is that America does not have a parliamentary system of government, in which one party controls the executive and legislative levers of power. Power in the U.S. is more balanced, requiring a cooperative approach to governing. Political parties must work together to get anything done. For a variety of reasons, cooperation has been absent from any political negotiations recently. Our government has been paralyzed by the intransigence of Republicans AND Democrats. And given the recent news coming out of D.C., the likelihood of a sudden change in mood remains bleak.