Another thing Americans and Brits have in common is costly government paralysis

For better and for worse, Great Britain and the United States have navigated for centuries what leaders of both countries call a “special relationship,” one that dates to the American colonial era, survived a bitterly contested revolution, and grew stronger during two world wars.

From that perspective, it seems less like a fluke that their respective governments have recently found themselves contending with economically damaging stalemates, both of which have their roots in the unexpected outcomes of elections two years ago.