Baraka_Guru

Not exactly. It's more about getting both political parties to reach a middle ground to ensure that the laws and such that are passed are mostly likely going to benefit the greatest number of Americans instead of conservative or liberal Americans.

Compromises don't always work, which is why stuff often doesn't get done, but some stuff does. The hope is that the stuff that does get done is important to the core of the country in terms of functioning as a stable society---a counterbalance to extreme political goals, if you will.

Canada has been under a minority conservative government for years now, with the persistent looming possibility of a centre-left/left coalition if things weren't tempered in the interest of a wide number of Canadians, rather than mainly centre-right/conservative interests. If you haven't noticed yet, Canada has been one of the most stable, if not most stable, economically amongst the G8 right through the global recession---one could argue it's been stable politically as well.

Split governments can be frustrating, but in terms of acts of government under them, the compromises take into account the greatest number of people because you have more people along the spectrum pulling their influence to do what they can to influence final decisions.

The thing to remember about America is that, despite the myths that tend to float around, the nation is historically politically centre, well-entrenched on the centre-right. You sometimes see fluctuations in either direction, but when all is said and done, you guys are centre-right. The best one can hope for in a two-party system, is this kind of give and take.

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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot