In discussing the fiscal cliff compromise Donald Trump is reported to have tweeted today that while he is a Republican, Republicans may be the worst negotiators in the world. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/01/donald-trump-republicans_n_2392960.html
He got that half right. Polarized political decision making is the best example of poor negotiating skills--that is shared by both party lines. Negotiating takes highly skilled individuals ready and willing to listen, to work together, and to create goals that serve the highest good for all involved. After a 22 year career as a trial lawyer I learned that successful outcomes come from skilled negotiators.
Many decisions made in the political realm are motivated by special interestes, personal agendas, and political dogmas. These ulterior motives do not serve their constituents well.
As a personal mission, I have created a master negotiation course Negotiation Mastery for the Legal Pro for lawyers to help teach lawyers how to negotiate well for the purpose of saving resources and bringing consensus in a timely fashion.