Yer half right , Ake... But also half wrong...

Our systemic problems with our legislature wasn't created by one power base but a thirst for the power to beat up the other party... Why??? Well, for the Republicans of late, it has been to dismantle social programs, reduce taxes for the ten millionth time on the rich and to rig the laws to hold power and favor the polluters and exploiters... The Dems of late have been trying to hold off the Repubs and not much more...

The power base has shifted from the voters to the wealthy... The wealthy own the media and are controlling the information thus enabling the a fringe party to have so much power that is in turn used against many of the folks who vote them in...

Your system may have it's flaws but ours is clearly broken at the legislative level and half broken at the judicial level so we are running with at least a couple dead cylinders...

B~