In what could only be seen as a stunning defeat, the author of the Art of the Deal found himself unable to close.  Instead of "draining the swamp," as he had promised, Donald Trump found himself drowning in it.Regardless of which side one stands on the recent showdown in Congress, the event signaled again that hyper-partisanship remains "the governing cancer of our time," as David Brooks and Bill Clinton each put it.  Each side blames the other, year after year, and now decade after decade, but the result always leaves good policy initiatives lying in burning ashes.  In his attempt to browbeat a recalcitrant political establishment and special interest groups, President Trump invariably became part of it all, forcing the division even further.No matter where we look in a modern democracy these days, compromise seems not so much a dying hope as a lost art.  The venerable traditions of civil discourse and hard work to attain common ground no longer seem practical to political activity.  As a Member of Parliament a few years ago I was proud to second Conservative MP Michael Chong's beleaguered attempt to reform Question Period.  It was sincere, well thought out attempt to recover a saner version of politics that generated a lot of support outside of Ottawa but little interest within Parliament itself.  It's to his credit that Chong has taken his campaign for a more accountable and civil politics to a higher level in running for the Conservative leadership.  Still, while respected, he occasionally feels like a credible voice crying in the wilderness in the midst of partisan mayhem and political dysfunction.It has always been true of our politics that elected representatives joined existing factions and frequently clashed with those who disagreed with them.  Yet common purpose was possible and frequently resulted in effective legislation that assisted in governing a diverse and often divided populace.  Such occasions are now so rare as to almost be forgotten, despite the nobler intentions of most politicians.Whether it was the outsider Trump promoting health care reform or insider Justin Trudeau promising electoral reform (both campaign promises), the result has been a lack of closure and more partisan division than had existed before such efforts.  When opposition parties performed due diligence in Parliament's electoral reform committee and sought what appeared to be a sincere compromise, such efforts were ultimately ignored in favour of the status quo.  Whether or not this was due to partisan intent, the result was that a unique moment for political innovation and common ground was lost.As David McLaughlin noted in a Globe and Mail article in 2013 during the previous hyper-partisan effects of the Harper era:"Faithful to the partisan glue binding them to their parties, our political class is doing everything possible to diminish, demean, and destroy the precious commodity they actually hold in common: their own political integrity.  In their relentless attacks on everything and everyone on the opposite political divide, they continue to devalue the basic political currency – trust – essential between electors and elected in a democracy.  We, the voters, are the losers."Yet we voters are often part of the problem, often utilizing social media to fling invective out on anyone who disagrees with us.  The dysfunction of Parliament has coursed its way into the electorate in an endless feedback loop of animosity.  Traditional media, in order to compete, too frequently places its own emphasis on political conflict in search of readers and viewers.We all share in this declining democracy that concerns us all.  The divisiveness of our politics today can only result in eventual inaction for the public estate.  Increasingly, research informs us that the hyper-partisan mind can be a wicked thing, that politicians don't know how to break out of it, and that our modern societies are receding into dysfunctional isolation.  There is no easy way out of the mess we have all accepted or even created.Partisanship has been a historical player in effective politics, both giving and clarifying choices for voters.  But it has now become so pervasive that it seems that no one has a choice anymore.  We have all been drawn into the swamp Donald Trump now finds himself in.  Only the collective will from both politicians and the people to find common ground can put responsible choices back on the table of our public life.  Common ground will only be found when we once again find common resolve.Glen Pearson was a career professional firefighter and is a former Member of Parliament from southwestern Ontario.  He and his wife adopted three children from South Sudan and reside in London, Ontario.  He has been the co-director of the London Food Bank for 29 years.  He writes regularly for the London Free Press and also shares his views on a blog entitled “The Parallel Parliament“.   Follow him on twitter @GlenPearson.