--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Today’s Congress is a polarized…" description: "\"“Today’s Congress is a polarized, dysfunctional body, rendered helpless by partisanship, more focused on scoring short-term political points than on so..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/al-franken-1407_partisanship_today-s-congress-is-a-polarized-dysfunct_2144733.jpg" --- # Today’s Congress is a polarized, dysfunctional body… ![“Today’s Congress is a polarized, dysfunctional body, rendered helpless by partisanship, more focused on scoring short-term political points than on solving our nation’s urgent problems. In short, the Washington of the past decade has been awash in nincompoopery.USS* And that was before Trump.” quote by Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/al-franken-1407_partisanship_today-s-congress-is-a-polarized-dysfunct_2144733.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/al-franken-1407_partisanship_today-s-congress-is-a-polarized-dysfunct_2144733.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/al-franken-1407_partisanship_today-s-congress-is-a-polarized-dysfunct_2144733.jpg) > ““Today’s Congress is a polarized, dysfunctional body, rendered helpless by partisanship, more focused on scoring short-term political points than on solving our nation’s urgent problems. In short, the Washington of the past decade has been awash in nincompoopery.USS\* And that was before Trump.”” [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Partisan politics paralyze effective governance, prioritizing short‑term gains over national crises. **In simple terms:** Partisanship hinders problem solving. Key Takeaway Promote collaboration over division. Themes politics polarization ineffectiveness Mood critical concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - legislative reform - bipartisan initiatives Key Concepts governance policy leadership Questions to Reflect On - What incentives encourage cooperation? - How can citizens demand accountability? A Different Perspective Political gridlock can persist despite reforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Partisanship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partisanship/) ## Related quotes > [President Bush has urged people to get back to normal and today Congress announced that they are accepting bribes again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/president-bush-has-urged-people-to-get-back-to-normal-and-today/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“Today Congress operates not as the Framers intended, but in the shadows, where it dreams up its most notorious and oppressive laws, coming into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-r-levin/today-congress-operates-not-as-the-framers-intended-but-in-the/) [Mark R. Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-r-levin/) > [Feminism has nothing to do with partisanship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronee-blakley/feminism-has-nothing-to-do-with-partisanship/) [Ronee Blakley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronee-blakley/) > [I know CNN has taken some knocks lately but the fact is, I admire their commitment to covering all sides of the story, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-know-cnn-has-taken-some-knocks-lately-but-the-fact-is-i-admire/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“My commitment is to urge us all toward moderation and good will toward fellow citizens. If we can set aside unworthy emotions that deepen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-rasley/my-commitment-is-to-urge-us-all-toward-moderation-and-good-will/) Jeff Rasley > [“Burke argued that political parties were not, as many people insisted, factions each contending for its own particular advantage, but rather were bodies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-levin/burke-argued-that-political-parties-were-not-as-many-people-insisted/) [Yuval Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-levin/) > [The Congressional Budget Office is a reactionary socialist institution which does not believe in economic growth, does not believe in innovation, and does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/the-congressional-budget-office-is-a-reactionary-socialist/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [Look, I don't mind if the President sends a budget which he knows is not going to achieve anything. But when he prefaces his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/look-i-don-t-mind-if-the-president-sends-a-budget-which-he-knows-is/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [Ratings are king and the money keeps flowing, and partisanship is so strong today that people rely on a few sources absolutely instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/ratings-are-king-and-the-money-keeps-flowing-and-partisanship-is-so/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [Mary Matalin and James Carville have given me more hope when it comes to love and relationships than any romance book or chick flick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/mary-matalin-and-james-carville-have-given-me-more-hope-when-it-comes/) [Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/) > [I don't have a 'side'—I'm responsible for what I say and nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/i-don-t-have-a-side-i-m-responsible-for-what-i-say-and-nothing-else/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Truth and facts have to trump partisanship. There has to be something that's true regardless of what your angle is on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/truth-and-facts-have-to-trump-partisanship-there-has-to-be-something/) [Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/) > [Racial discrimination in elections in Texas is no mere historical artifact. To the contrary, Texas has been found in violation of the Voting Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/racial-discrimination-in-elections-in-texas-is-no-mere-historical/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [You should govern not by partisanship, but by leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-faulconer/you-should-govern-not-by-partisanship-but-by-leadership/) [Kevin Faulconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-faulconer/) > [Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/partisanship-is-our-great-curse-we-too-readily-assume-that-everything/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) ## More by Al Franken > [I want to reclaim 'liberal.' I'm a liberal, and I think most Americans are liberals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-want-to-reclaim-liberal-i-m-a-liberal-and-i-think-most-americans/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [“The Democratic Senator’s Serenity Prayer God Grant Me the Serenity to Accept the Things I Cannot Legislate The Courage to Legislate the Things I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/the-democratic-senator-s-serenity-prayer-god-grant-me-the-serenity-to/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I'm for Israel's right to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-m-for-israel-s-right-to-exist/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [You have to love your country like an adult loves somebody, not like a child loves its mommy. And right-wing Republicans tend to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/you-have-to-love-your-country-like-an-adult-loves-somebody-not-like-a/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Antitrust law isn't about protecting competing businesses from each other, it's about protecting competition itself on behalf of the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/antitrust-law-isn-t-about-protecting-competing-businesses-from-each/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Putin has had many positive experiences working with Western political leaders whose business interests made them more disposed to deal with Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/putin-has-had-many-positive-experiences-working-with-western/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I'm crushed by the responsibility of writing a satirical book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-m-crushed-by-the-responsibility-of-writing-a-satirical-book/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [“right wing’s most common techniques—including the deceptive use of statistics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/right-wing-s-most-common-techniques-including-the-deceptive-use-of/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I know I have an awful lot to learn from the people of Minnesota.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-know-i-have-an-awful-lot-to-learn-from-the-people-of-minnesota/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Apple has long been a leading innovator of mobile technology; I myself own an iPhone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/apple-has-long-been-a-leading-innovator-of-mobile-technology-i-myself/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I am a Minnesotan, and not just because I root for the Vikings and the Twins. I like the Minnesota-nice sensibility. I like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-am-a-minnesotan-and-not-just-because-i-root-for-the-vikings-and-the/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [My dad didn't graduate from high school, ended up being a printing salesman, probably never made more than $8,000 a year. My mom sold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/my-dad-didn-t-graduate-from-high-school-ended-up-being-a-printing/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [“As the polls began closing in the East, with states like New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Virginia going for Barack Obama, it was quickly becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/as-the-polls-began-closing-in-the-east-with-states-like-new-hampshire/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Net neutrality isn't a government takeover of the Internet, as many of my Republican colleagues have alleged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/net-neutrality-isn-t-a-government-takeover-of-the-internet-as-many-of/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Demagoguery sells. And therefore, radio stations will put it on. But that doesn't mean that you can't do something else and also make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/demagoguery-sells-and-therefore-radio-stations-will-put-it-on-but/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) [Explore all 245 Al Franken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) ## More Partisanship quotes > [Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/partisanship-is-our-great-curse-we-too-readily-assume-that-everything/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [You should govern not by partisanship, but by leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-faulconer/you-should-govern-not-by-partisanship-but-by-leadership/) [Kevin Faulconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-faulconer/) > [Racial discrimination in elections in Texas is no mere historical artifact. To the contrary, Texas has been found in violation of the Voting Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/racial-discrimination-in-elections-in-texas-is-no-mere-historical/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [Truth and facts have to trump partisanship. There has to be something that's true regardless of what your angle is on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/truth-and-facts-have-to-trump-partisanship-there-has-to-be-something/) [Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/) > [I don't have a 'side'—I'm responsible for what I say and nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/i-don-t-have-a-side-i-m-responsible-for-what-i-say-and-nothing-else/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Mary Matalin and James Carville have given me more hope when it comes to love and relationships than any romance book or chick flick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/mary-matalin-and-james-carville-have-given-me-more-hope-when-it-comes/) [Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/) > [Ratings are king and the money keeps flowing, and partisanship is so strong today that people rely on a few sources absolutely instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/ratings-are-king-and-the-money-keeps-flowing-and-partisanship-is-so/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [Look, I don't mind if the President sends a budget which he knows is not going to achieve anything. But when he prefaces his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/look-i-don-t-mind-if-the-president-sends-a-budget-which-he-knows-is/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [The Congressional Budget Office is a reactionary socialist institution which does not believe in economic growth, does not believe in innovation, and does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/the-congressional-budget-office-is-a-reactionary-socialist/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [“Burke argued that political parties were not, as many people insisted, factions each contending for its own particular advantage, but rather were bodies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-levin/burke-argued-that-political-parties-were-not-as-many-people-insisted/) [Yuval Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-levin/) > [“My commitment is to urge us all toward moderation and good will toward fellow citizens. If we can set aside unworthy emotions that deepen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-rasley/my-commitment-is-to-urge-us-all-toward-moderation-and-good-will/) Jeff Rasley > [I know CNN has taken some knocks lately but the fact is, I admire their commitment to covering all sides of the story, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-know-cnn-has-taken-some-knocks-lately-but-the-fact-is-i-admire/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Feminism has nothing to do with partisanship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronee-blakley/feminism-has-nothing-to-do-with-partisanship/) [Ronee Blakley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronee-blakley/) > [I feel genuinely sorry for those who are so blinded by narrow partisanship that they cannot appreciate Limbaugh's energy, intelligence and satiric skill. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-feel-genuinely-sorry-for-those-who-are-so-blinded-by-narrow/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [There is no greater hindrance to the progress of thought than an attitude of irritated party-spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/there-is-no-greater-hindrance-to-the-progress-of-thought-than-an/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) [Browse all 181 Partisanship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partisanship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Today’s Congress is a polarized, dysfunctional body, rendered helpless by partisanship, more focused on scoring short-term political points than on solving our nation’s urgent problems. 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