"It's a reflection of the political dynamic in America, where we don't look at America as a whole. We look at it through the red and blue prism" ( Taylor, 1).The red and blue prism that Senator Olympia Snowe refers to are the political parties that function in the United States. The current existence of political parties in America is an obstacle to the effective representation of the people of the lack of bipartisanship the parties in Congress, the absence of compromise leads to stalemate regarding the passage of laws by members of Congress. In this article I will discuss how the strengthening of the polarization of political parties in America and the priority of party over voters: has contributed to the lack. of effective representation and increasing challenges to decision-making. In the United States, members of Congress align themselves with party leaders over their constituents to be elected to join a party to obtain subsequent benefits. Through public officials' blatant lack of input into their constituency, members of Congress have been shown to need party support to get re-elected, which fuels an endless cycle of satisfaction of party ideals by the public. According to John Aldrich and David Rhode, The Logic of Conditional Party Government: Revisiting the Electoral Connection, state that there are two strategies of party governance: party pressure and gatekeeping. Vulnerable members of Congress find themselves in a difficult position between listening to their constituents and their party. A political party is able to effectively pressure members of Congress to adhere to the values ​​upheld by... half of the document... com. Np, nd Web. March 15, 2012. “Project Avalon – Washington Farewell Address 1796.” Project Avalon - Documents in law, history and diplomacy. Np, nd Web. March 16, 2012. Legante, Sarah. “Through the Looking Glass, Darkly: What Happened to the Senate?” The Forum 9.4 (2011): 4, 12. Print.Davidson, Roger H., and Walter J. Oleszek. Congress and its members. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press, 1981. Print.Reeve, Elspeth. "John Boehner Has Forgotten Who Grover Norquist Is - Politics - The Atlantic Wire." The Atlantic Wire. Np, nd Web. March 15, 2012. .Sinclair, Barbara. Senate Parties and Party Leadership. Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2012. Print.