Klein examines why American institutions — Congress, the Supreme Court, regulatory agencies — are failing to govern effectively. The diagnosis: institutions designed for 18th-century compromise can't handle 21st-century polarization.
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Highlights
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American institutions were designed for consensus and break under polarization
Klein argues that the Constitution's checks and balances assume good-faith negotiation. Under polarization, every check becomes a veto, and governance becomes impossible.
Institutional design determines political outcomes more than elections
Klein presents data showing that the Senate, Electoral College, and gerrymandering systematically distort democratic representation — a minority can govern against majority preference.