Divided we fall? fail? challenge? adapt? prosper?

I was reading this article about another potential downgrading of USA debt, http://www.businessinsider.com/huge-prediction-from-bofa-another-us-debt-downgrade-is-coming-in-just-a-few-weeks-2011-10? ,what's interesting isn't in the article but in the comments.

The question has to be asked "why is usa so divided when other 2 party countries aren't"?

Has it always been like this or is it getting worse? Is a military koo with benevolent dictatorship the next big step along the democracy pendulum or do we still have Churchill's ....best version yet.

Is there something about the current political cycle that is causing this rift and is it enough for a single term presidency?

Is the current situation due to Obama's personal policies or the blowback from the expenses of the previous administration....or none of the above and just the ebb and flow of the current prevailing economic winds of today.

I feel that we are gridlocked and apart from another 50/50 election on the horizon that can be a coin toss and go either way I'm not sure I see anything changing.

I don't know what I can do about this rift, do you?

I wish we could have a conversation, not just to flap our gums but to do something monumental and significant. To create something tangible and solid and be the causation of momentum. To do something apart from continually bitch about this "he said she said".

Cheers
Dean