Politics are paralyzed. The minority party is motivated by a desire to have the president of the United States fail, while the squishy majority is in disarray, drawing into question its capacity to govern. Congressional leadership of both parties is inept and ineffective. The result is drift and inertia, a pathetic situation befitting a banana republic.
Divided government need not mean gridlock, however. Political history demonstrates that despite partisan differences and jockeying for favor, the system works.