Congress is paralyzed. Who will fix it?

Public disgust with Congress is mounting as the government shutdown drags into a third week. Former GOP strategist Steven Law joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World to talk about the intense polarization and intractable gridlock plaguing Washington. Is there any hope for a breakthrough? Law says that voters want leaders who are constructive, even while executing a strong agenda. It’s part of the reason President Trump has such an enduring appeal with his base. They may not agree with everything he does, but he’s taking action.

But decisiveness can also come at a cost. Party loyalty, fear of backlash, and an increasingly combative political culture has made compromise all but impossible, constraining lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The partisan bases are demanding a fight, and Law predicts the next real political breakthrough will come from a leader bold enough to do the opposite: turn down the temperature and offer unity without weakness.

“People see a completely dysfunctional, broken Congress and when they see Trump, here’s a guy who’s constantly putting points on the board,” Law says “He’s getting stuff done and that’s something I think people have been longing to see in Washington.”