Polarization can be described as "An intense commitment to a candidate, culture, or ideology that definitively distinguishes the people of one group from the people of another rival group" (Kernell & Smith 494). Two distinct political parties without overlapping policies can make it easier for the voter to identify with one party. However, party polarization has a hidden cost that only becomes apparent when politicians from these parties are elected into office. Party polarization leads to inefficient government, and ultimately, voters suffer because their preferred policies are blocked in the House of Representatives and Congress, respectively. Polarization creates two conflicting ideologies and an unwillingness to negotiate that ultimately leads to government failure. Therefore, on the surface it may appear that voters are the beneficiaries of party polarization, but in reality it is society as a whole that suffers. The average American citizen would benefit from an effective government. An effective American government is one in which legislation and legislators truly represent the constituency. True representation leads to the successful passage of legislation that provides the public goods that represent what people want and need. When passing legislation on behalf of the represented party, the process must be efficient; time should not be wasted. The government must also have sufficient capacity to adapt to society: while the status quo may be favored in certain circumstances, there are times when the government must pass new laws in response to ever-changing society. Last and not least, the government is expected to protect the rights of everyone, including minorities. When good legislation is at the heart of the charter governance needs a middle ground where parties can agree on stable solutions. The current state of the government lacks what the majority wants: a compromise in the middle. Polarized parties offer one aspect of effective government: they ensure a strong voice from the minority. However, as shown, the other factors that determine effective government far outweigh the protection of minorities who “represent no opinion but their own” (Clemmitt 398). The government must represent the majority of the electorate's demands for public goods by efficiently passing legislation that responds to the ever-changing American society. Increasing polarization is a trend that cannot hope to produce effective governance. As Woodrow Wilson once said in 1917, all it takes is “a small band of obstinate men” to render “the great government of the United States impotent and contemptible”..”