What changes would you like to see?

[apl68]

Isn't that kind of what we have for the moment? if parties have a 50/50 divide, then the deadlock forces compromise. But there's very little. I think people are starting to develop all or nothing attitudes and refuse to negotiate with "the enemy."

That's certainly the idea.  Our system is supposed to encourage compromise and moderation.

That's why I'm skeptical as to whether tinkering with the political system would actually improve things.  It's hard to imagine any system that would work well with as badly broken a political culture/culture in general as we now have.  Remember, the U.S. is not the only democracy suffering from increasingly serious political dysfunction.  Things are going downhill pretty much everywhere.  We're not even the worst example of dysfunction, although we've certainly moved up (or down) in the rankings a great deal in recent years.

[dismalist]

Isn't that kind of what we have for the moment? if parties have a 50/50 divide, then the deadlock forces compromise. But there's very little. I think people are starting to develop all or nothing attitudes and refuse to negotiate with "the enemy."

That's certainly the idea.  Our system is supposed to encourage compromise and moderation.

That's why I'm skeptical as to whether tinkering with the political system would actually improve things.  It's hard to imagine any system that would work well with as badly broken a political culture/culture in general as we now have.  Remember, the U.S. is not the only democracy suffering from increasingly serious political dysfunction.  Things are going downhill pretty much everywhere.  We're not even the worst example of dysfunction, although we've certainly moved up (or down) in the rankings a great deal in recent years.

Our system is intended to make broad agreement on what is to be done a condition for doing anything at the federal level. Compromise is not forced. If there is no broad agreement on something, it will not be done.  That's a feature, not a bug.

Note that a so-called Infrastructure Bill indeed passed in the Senate with 69 votes, whereas the Big Bill de facto got 48 votes. System is working.

[Kron3007]

I would like to see the US surrender to Canadian rule and make the world a better place. 

We would be benevolent, dont worry...

[dismalist]

I would like to see the US surrender to Canadian rule and make the world a better place. 

We would be benevolent, dont worry...

You can have California and New York. That should take care of the problem. :-)

[mahagonny]

Isn't that kind of what we have for the moment? if parties have a 50/50 divide, then the deadlock forces compromise. But there's very little. I think people are starting to develop all or nothing attitudes and refuse to negotiate with "the enemy."

That's certainly the idea.  Our system is supposed to encourage compromise and moderation.

That's why I'm skeptical as to whether tinkering with the political system would actually improve things.  It's hard to imagine any system that would work well with as badly broken a political culture/culture in general as we now have.  Remember, the U.S. is not the only democracy suffering from increasingly serious political dysfunction.  Things are going downhill pretty much everywhere.

This makes us look more favorable unless the others caught the malady from us (USA).

[marshwiggle]

I would like to see the US surrender to Canadian rule and make the world a better place. 

We would be benevolent, dont worry...

Since they have trouble surrendering to their own rule, that wouldn't end well.