Partisanship and democracy's other ills holding down the economy, Harvard study says

The many problems with American democracy are a central reason the country has made so little progress in tackling major challenges during a decade of economic growth, Harvard Business School concludes in an ambitious report out this week.

More precisely, the report blames the Democratic and Republican parties for looking to advance partisan advantage over the public interest — wasting a valuable opportunity to improve health care, the education system and infrastructure during a time of expansion so the country might become more globally competitive in the long haul.

"Electoral...