Politicians are career minded to the point where they refuse to do what needs to be done in order to guarantee their next term in office.
This is the underlying problem. Both parties want to appeal to their base and win votes. both have strong notions how to do that - Yes one wants to throw money and keep the spending going - which appeases their voters which assured their next term in office. The other wants to cut spending and redirect funds to big Business and the rich which appeals to their base, it gets them their votes.
This has been going on for so long in the USA that now we are facing a crises and the politicians are unwilling and unable to actually face it and are using the same principles and tactics to keep their jobs instead of doing what needs to be done (which few people will like) to keep the nation going.