Broken Government? American Politics in the Obama Era

Barack Obama's election as president in 2008 generated widespread hope that the United States was entering a new era whereby government, in a reversal of Ronald Reagan's famous dictum, would be the solution to the nation's manifold problems amid the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. The Obama election slogan of "Yes We Can" seemed to voice a hope that new leadership would put right what had gone wrong with America. Within a short time, however, "Yes We Can" gave way to "No We Can't," as America's government became enmeshed in gridlock and political polarisation. This led to a debate as to whether American government was broken and in need of substantial procedural and political reform. This volume, with contributors from both the US and UK, offers an international perspective on one of the most important political questions of our time. They review the causes of America's governmental dysfunction and assess what can be done to put matters right