Modern political arguments are often framed as debates. Two sides present their ideas, voters decide which argument makes more sense, and the system moves forward. At least, that’s the theory most of us learned in civics class. But increasingly, politics in the United States isn’t operating like a debate at all. Instead, it often looks more like gridlock by design. In many cases the goal isn’t persuasion—it’s disruption. Not against the rules, just against progress. A growing