So here we are, with all our major problems the government has come to a screeching halt over spending less than 6 billion dollars out of over 4 trillion dollars.  Could anything better show the dysfunction of our two-party system?  This should not surprise anyone who had read  our series on the “Future Party” (Available on this site).  Due in no small measure to our two major parties primary systems, the extremes in both party’s have obtained a veto power over their actions.  President Trump made building a great wall across our southern border paid for by Mexico the cornerstone of his 2016 campaign.  However, in his first two years did little on this monumental building project.  It was only when the last continuing resolution to fund the government before the Democrats took control of the house was agreed on by everyone including the president without funds for the wall was about to approved that the populist wing of the Republican party woke up.  If they didn’t get the funds now they may never their great wall.  Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and indeed most of talk radio suddenly rose up and informed Trump this wasn’t acceptable.  They represent the base and without his base he’s  finished.  They are his power.  We warned  in our 1/30/17 post AND THEN THE REPUBLICANS and even the 8/29/16 post Questions. Do the Libertarians want to win? Do Republicans want to exist? of exactly this happening.  Up to this point, the Trump administration no matter how it appeared has actually worked towards conventional Republican ends, lower taxes, less regulation, conservative judges and a continued world presence. No wall, repeal of Obama Care or a pullback from the rest of the world left the base asking “when do you give us our stuff?” Predictably, agreement or not Trump abruptly changed his mind and dug in.  He had no choice.

One might think the Democratic congressional leadership eager to show their governing chops, would toss Trump a bone for his wall and move on to more substantial things.  Yet, here they are just as dug in as Trump.  Turns out to a great swath of the party, giving  Trump his great wall isn’t what they elected the new house majority to do.  For their populist wing, you can’t fund a monumental wall for someone you hope to impeach.  Pelosi only got the nod to regain her Speakership by promising her left-wing to be tough on the President.  Further the multitude of Democrats running for the right to oppose Trump 2020 simply can’t be seen as giving in to Trump.  One scathing internet attack by  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could leave  your campaign stillborn. If the number of possible candidates on the Senate Judiciary committee during the Kavanaugh hearings are any indication these aren’t people known for their character. Remember they were ready to destroy a fine man on absolutely no evidence to curry the favor of the party base.  Remember all those Democratic congressional candidates touting their ability to work across the aisle?  Where are they when you need them?

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The 2018 midterm election is finally winding down weeks after the event.  As if we needed more reasons to be divided, the incompetence in some areas counting ballots fanned the flames of discord even hotter.  In a country depending on its elections to give government legitimacy, Broward and Palm Beach Counties in Florida replay of 2000 mess is just unacceptable.  Other places across the country such as Maricopa county in Arizona failed to tally in a timely fashion.  We have to do better preserve confidence and avoid the ugliness and lawyers that come from drawn counts and recounts.

Now that we finally have most of the results it’s a good time to ask  what did we get for the $5.2 billion spent? We surely haven’t come together.  We aren’t any closer to solving major problems. If anything with divided government and the 2020 election looming on the horizon we are even worse off.  The few areas where there is any possible agreement between the parties infrastructure and drug prices lean towards an even greater deficits and prices controls.  Even on these will the Democrats in the house be willing to give Trump any victories?  Will Trump give up the chance to run against a “Do nothing resistance congress” for some small agreements?  More likely the gravitational pull in both parties is to greater distance between the two.

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Less than two months from the 2018 midterm congressional election and we hear the usual cries of the “most important election of our lifetime.”  We even heard this from  former Pres. Obama.  The direction of the country will be altered forever.  Don’t you believe it. There three possible outcomes and none of them will materially change our course.

The first possible outcome is also the most likely. The House goes Democrat while the Senate stays Republican.  Rather than changing course think of a nation becalmed pretty much where we are right now.  Our world leadership continues to recede while financial problems continue to grow.  Neither President Trump or a Democratic house will be inclined to take the robust actions needed to maintain the liberal world order.  Any agreement with the House will be to spend more not less.  Both Trump and  the Democrats have campaigned on not touching entitlements.  Can anyone even imagine an immigration bill being passed? However, more originalist judges would be appointed. While there will be surely more congressional executive branch investigations, impeachment won’t get very far in the face of certain failure in the Senate. If Mueller comes up with the goods on the President, resignation as in the case of  Nixon would be more likely.  Then it’s President Pence. Little or no problems solving will occur and this is the best election outcome.

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