The recent decision by Standard & Poor’s to downgrade its credit rating of U.S. government debt from AAA to AA+ resulted not from lack of money, but poor governance performance by federal officials.
The recent decision by Standard & Poor’s to downgrade its credit rating of U.S. government debt from AAA to AA+ resulted not from lack of money, but poor governance performance by federal officials. A number of long-term trends have paralyzed policymakers and made it difficult to address pressing problems. Unless these conditions improve, it will be difficult for elected leaders to address the budget deficit.
- Super-Majority Requirements in the U.S. Senate
- Extreme Politics in the U.S. House of Representatives
- Excessive Political Polarization Across the Country
- Partisan Redistricting in American Elections
- Low Voter Turnout Encourages Political Leaders to Play to the Base
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Source: Darrell M. West | Brookings Institution