We’ve all been hearing a lot these days about voters’ frustration with out-of-control partisan rancor in Washington and the failure for elected leaders in Congress to work together to get anything done. It’s a familiar refrain: Voters claim they want leaders to stop bickering and solve the nation’s problems. It all sounds civic-minded and lofty, but the truth is that voters really want nothing of the sort. They characteristically whine about Washington gridlock, but their voting decisions often contribute to, if not help perpetuate, the problem.
But the solution, if the public is truly feed up with partisan politics, is quite simple: Stop returning partisans to Washington! In a two-party system where voters have limited choices, partisan gamesmanship works to the advantage of both ruling political parties.
But voters have an antidote to this perpetual childish political nonsense: They can start electing more independents to Congress. If both political parties know their lock on power is threatened by a viable alternative, they will have no choice but to modify their behavior or risk election defeat and marginalization.
But of course this can’t work if voters keep allowing themselves to be pawns in the partisan political games both parties play to preserve power.
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