[seanmcdirmid]

> The Democrats never should have tried to govern that way. They should have been coalition building, trying to find some common ground where they could do some things.

> So why did they take the approach they took?

The Republicans set that precedent (trying to govern like they had a large majority). I don't mean that as a "the other side does it too", just that each side has become increasingly vindictive of the other, making it much more difficult to work together when doing so is necessary to get anything done at all. We will continue to see power swaps with the winning side spinning its wheels while shutting the other side out.

[rootusrootus]

> each side has become increasingly vindictive of the other

For a number of reasons, no doubt. But partly I blame the efforts to remove pork from legislation. We thought that was a good idea, without realizing that it was the basis of compromise. When each little piece of legislation comes through on its own, there is no incentive to compromise, but just play tribal politics instead.