is American party-ism / faction-ism crushing our legislation process?

American Party-ism

Food for thought.
American Party-ism is the wrench in our countries metaphorical wheel. George Washington warned of the potential dangers that come with this present day plight;

"All obstructions to the execution of the laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency. They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels and modified by mutual interests.

However combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion."

Here Washington focused on the dangers of feuding factions in government affecting the overall outcome of lawmaking. Competing parties sputter out different laws based on skewed portions of the population; rather than allowing due process and creating balanced, competent laws.
This quote also warns of potential danger of a single person riding the rivalry of competing parties into a seat of power, and then dismantling the means used to achieve power to create what Washington described later as a, "despotism".

" This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.
The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty."

Washington stressed the, "spirit" of faction-ism; he warned that the rivalry itself could become bigger than what is in the countries best interest. There is a huge risk in american party-ism; constant feuding of extreme ideals stalls the lawmaking process and starts a chain reaction of, 1 step forward 2 steps back. One party spends 4 years implementing one plan of action, the economy/policy fluctuates and another party takes lead and spends 8 years undoing everything party 1 did and implementing equal and opposite plans, which results in the same fashion. No plan is given time to develop or adapt to the political/economic climate, as soon as any plan falters the party tied to the policy is removed/replaced.

The government should represent the people, and not everyone is extremely right winged or left winged so why do our elected officials represent us this way?
Just something to think about before Fox or CNN have you screaming about the opposite party.