Do we need political parties? In theory, they're the sort of organization that could bring Americans together in larger purpose

During President Joe Biden's State of the Union speech, many Congressional Democrats stood and clapped, but the GOP did not. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

The 27 million people who watched President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Feb. 7, 2023, witnessed the spectacle of a family divided, with boos and cheers perfectly arranged along party lines.

Are political parties getting in the way of the nation’s well-being? For the approximately 40% of those polled in January 2023 by the Gallup Organization who say they are neither Democrats nor Republicans, but independent, as well as any viewers of the State of the Union speech, the answer is likely “yes.”