Legislative gridlock is the inability of government to pass significant legislation. Many observers of politics consider gridlock, or legislative stalemate, an important failing of the American system of separate institutions sharing power and weak political parties passing new laws is difficult because the two chambers, each constructed so differently, must come to absolute agreement before a new law is enacted. Republicans and Democrats in Congress seem to constantly disagree with each other on party lines, even though many claim that the parties are basically the same. Many people think of themselves as independent voters, and the fighting between the parties in Congress is often discouraging. But parties are very important in both the
