We all lament the state of affairs in Washington these days, but here is an interesting analysis of the problems. From the WashPost: Government ‘breakdowns’ thwart turning policy into action.  And here is a direct link to the report. An excerpt from the 46-page report:

Mr. Volcker proclaimed that “a gap between vision and action undermines the government’s ability to execute.” Research by Professor Light released at the event by the Volcker Alliance demonstrates that the number of federal government agency breakdowns has steadily increased over the past 30 years. He predicts that, at the current rate, the federal government under President Obama will set a record for the number of breakdowns in a two-term presidency.