"One wonders why a 51-49 split favoring the Democrats during the Bush years was sufficient to control some of that president's more alarming impulses, but a 59-41 split, also favoring the Democrats, is insufficient for Mr. Obama to govern."

If history is to be believed, there was a time in the United States when the members of the two major political parties, despite their differences, were able to work together to do what the nation's elected officials were supposed to be doing: governing. Elected representatives from each party worked together to create legislation that was, at least ostensibly, intended to benefit U.S. citizens.

Today, this appears to be an invented fantasy, the product of an imaginative mind with no grounding in the reality of the U.S. political landscape. There seems only to be a desire for one particular ideology to establish itself, with no thought of compromise. Each party seems to believe that it knows what is best for the country and the world, and is determined to force its particular will upon its unsuspecting victims.

While there is evidence that this disturbing trend has been happening for some time, it appears to have first taken strong hold during the Reagan years. Mr. Reagan defeated the incumbent president, Democrat Jimmy Carter, to win his first term, and then annihilated Senator Walter Mondale for re-election. This was the first major heyday for the Republican Party, which brought the nation such 'benefits' as the 'trickle-down theory,' the belief that tax relief for corporate America would eventually benefit the working and poor classes. This peculiar brand of economics was resurrected, and put on steroids, during the administration of President George W. Bush, and contributed to the largest deficit the nation has ever known.

It was during Mr. Bush's administration that the concept of a 'permanent Republican majority' was first darkly suggested. Despite tepid criticism from the Democrats, Mr. Bush was able to force through many of his policies by exploiting the fear that began on September 11, 2001. With his constant red alerts, talk of the 'Axis of Evil,' and fear-mongering about terrorism, he was able to launch two wars, torture political prisoners, eavesdrop on U.S. citizens, and generally trample the Constitution. The Republicans proclaimed all these 'victories,' and the Democrats were complicit in them.

During part of Mr. Bush's regime, the Democrats controlled the senate by one vote; they had a 51-49 majority. This, ostensibly, was sufficient to thwart some of Mr. Bush's more radical ideas, if only the appointment of arch-conservative judges.

Today, with the election of a Republican in Massachusetts to fill the senate seat of the late Senator Edward Kennedy, the Democrat's so-called 'Super Majority,' is gone. The party had a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate; that has now been reduced to 59, which is apparently sufficient, if the pundits are to be believed, to derail health care reform, if not President Obama's entire domestic agenda. This seems to be because the health care bill received the support of no Republicans in the Senate, and the Democratic Party can no longer avoid a possible filibuster.

It is hardly worth mentioning that the Republicans, often referred to as the 'Party of No,' never seemed particularly interested in health care reform. After all, an issue that impacts the poor and working citizens cannot be of too much concern to them. But it is somewhat striking that they make little or no pretense about it; Republican Congress members talk vaguely about starting from scratch on health care legislation, but don't seem to be coming forward with any proposals.

One wonders why a 51-49 split favoring the Democrats during the Bush years was sufficient to control some of that president's more alarming impulses, but a 59-41 split, also favoring the Democrats, is insufficient for Mr. Obama to govern.

This is hardly to imply that the Democrats are the nation's saviors. After several disastrous years, the voters reinstalled them in Congress in 2006, with the hope that U.S. soldiers would finally come home from Iraq and Afghanistan. But the Democratic Congress, it seems, never met a war funding budget it didn't love, at least sufficiently to vote for it. In their typically bizarre way, they continued to say that they did it to 'support the troops.' Do they really believe that war supports soldiers? Perhaps the money might have been better spent on something a little more constructive, say, resolving the disgraceful conditions at the nation's premier veterans' medical facility, The Walter Reed Army Medical Center. But that was last year's news; we must move on to new photo ops.

So what are the other areas, besides health care, where there is to be no compromise? The list is endless, but a few will be mentioned here.

1. Gun control. Simply because U.S. citizens are massacring each other with guns at a faster rate than any other industrialized nation, is no reason to even consider gun legislation. Heaven forbid that gun-sellers be required to determine whether or not their customers are convicted felons, perpetrators of domestic violence, terrorists, etc. The Republicans will not even countenance any discussion of limitations. The Democrats have surrendered on this one, apparently fearing the wrath of the National Rifle Association.

2. Gay Rights. As everyone knows (at least all those who want Sarah Palin to run for president), same-sex marriage will destroy the United States. President Clinton took a major risk with his ridiculous 'don't ask, don't tell' military policy for gays, and not much progress has been made since then. The Republicans are willing to ostracize this segment of the population, and nothing less will suffice. The Democrats are, again, too fearful to oppose them, despite their control of Congress.

3. Abortion. Currently legal everywhere, and opposed by the Republican Party. Yet the Republicans oppose any and every measure that would reduce the number of abortions. For example, during the Bush Administration, the U.S. government ceased funding Marie Stopes International, an organization that provides contraceptives to several countries in Africa (the Obama Administration has refunded it). When this funding was stopped, Marie Stopes International estimated that it would result in an additional 157,000 unwanted pregnancies, and 62,000 additional abortions. Lack of willingness to compromise seems to be self-defeating.

4. Taxes. During the Republican's second heyday (the George W. Bush years), the rich got richer while the poor and middle class got poorer. Mr. Obama has pledged to let the tax cuts that Mr. Bush gave to the U.S.'s wealthiest citizens expire; this stimulates the anger of the Republican Party. Again, there seems to be no middle ground upon which anyone wants to tread.

5. Diplomacy. Mr. Obama, to his credit, has demonstrated a willingness to listen to the opinion's of other world leaders. This, the Republicans say, is demonstrating weakness and is un-American (whatever on earth that means). For them, it is, and always has been, 'our way or the highway.' There is, it seems, nothing to discuss.

Abraham Lincoln, during his administration, appointed to his Cabinet some of his opponents, wanting to surround himself with the best minds and most diverse opinions possible. Mr. Obama appointed two Republicans to fairly prominent Cabinet positions, but he has hardly surrounded himself with the loyal opposition. Perhaps that is because there is no 'loyal' opposition; there is only partisan opposition.

So the United States muddles along, with legislation paralyzed because there is no middle ground, at least none that the zealots from each party want to see. It is possible that some semblance of health care reform will occur, bringing the U.S. up from Third World status in that category. But until the country's elected officials see governance not as a contest to be won, but as a duty to be performed, the polarization will continue, and little will get done. This will be tragic for the nation and the world.

Robert Fantina is author of Desertion and the American Soldier: 1776-2006.