Looking at the American Public and their political views, if you could somehow plot them on a graph, you would have kind of a bell curve with the majority being moderate, middle of the road types.
Plot the politicians over that same graph and, in a private moment, and being honest, they would mirror that.
But to get elected they need a political party. To be in the party, you have to toe the party line. The parties are dividing the issues and heading all the way to the extremes so in their minds, the idiot voters, can tell the difference.
There are very few McCain's in the world who are so moderate and middle of the road that they could be elected from either party. It's Coke of Pepsi all the time. A politician who likes both doesn't get far.
I would love to see the public stand up and say, I do not care if you are a Rep or Dem, serve the country. I am not going to defend a mistake because you are from "my party" and I'm not going to champion a cause because it is "my party".