Editor's note: Anthony Moretti, a special commentator for CGTN, is an associate professor in the School of Communication and Media at Robert Morris University. He also writes regularly about China-US affairs. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of either Robert Morris University or CGTN.

The day after a general election in the US: One party celebrates success; the other party grumbles in disappointment. One party looks forward with optimism; the other party explores what went wrong. One party insists it will foster change; the other party imagines such a possibility and screams in fear.

But does anything really change?

Americans are once again debating that question following Tuesday's midterm elections, in which Democrats swept both chambers of the US Congress. Their answer? "No." With the two major political parties so closely tied to special interest groups and deep-pocketed financial donors, what other answer is possible when the new Congress takes office in January 2027?

Let's begin with the obvious: money. According to one estimate, roughly $12 billion, which is higher than the GDP of about 50 countries, was spent to support candidates in the recently concluded US midterm elections. It is no secret that this money buys access. As a report noted: "When you give money, the recipients know it, and while they may not agree with all your positions, they're more likely to hear you out."

Defenders of this flawed system might argue that laws exist to prevent so-called Super PACs, organizations that raise millions upon millions of dollars, from coordinating their spending with specific campaigns or candidates, but it is difficult to prove when those laws have been broken. Moreover, America's two major political parties would be blowing up a system that benefits them; in the absence of money, there is no way to run a legitimate political campaign in the US.

With all that money, one television ad after another can be produced. And too often those ads opt for the negative, the hostile, the dirty. Demeaning the character of the opponent does not reflect positively on America, and yet nothing changes. As a result, voters are left with the feeling that they are choosing the lesser of two evils. Along with this, the losing party refuses to show respect for the winners.

But obnoxious amounts of campaign money are not the only structural issue undermining US politics. America's economic house is most definitely not in order, and it will take a real commitment from both parties to address these problems. Inflation remains stubbornly high. Sky-high housing prices and increasing mortgage costs mean Americans in their 20s and 30s are delaying buying a home, one of the elements of the American dream.

The healthcare system offers more questions than answers. The social security program is heading toward insolvency. The challenges of immigration and economic inequality cannot be solved if the two parties remain divided as they are. The reckless launching of wars needs no further discussion.

It is not hyperbole to state that neither the Democratic nor Republican parties is eager to tackle these problems in a meaningful way. Substantive policy is rare, but political stunts are not. Even the most casual political followers know when gamesmanship is taking place. They have seen it too often.

That reality points us to another structural weakness: the absence of ethics. Ethical leadership is the hallmark of any well-run organization. Yet in the US, and this is just one example of ethical shortcomings, one high-ranking government official after another leaves elected or appointed office on one day and becomes a high-priced shill for a for-profit organization the next. Legal? Absolutely. An honorable choice? Iffy. How is it that an official can claim to represent the best interests of the people on one day, and the next he or she is lobbying and earning a hefty income doing it?

The grim reality is that laws to change this system are unlikely to be enacted. Here again, Democrats and Republicans enjoy the fruits of this dubiously ethical system. If they truly represented the people in practice, rather than merely claiming to do so, they would do the right thing. They are not, so they do not.

Right now in the US, changing the political party in power is akin to altering the curtains, the furniture and the layout of the interior of a house. Yet the structure of the house remains unchanged. The structure appears corrosive, preventing democracy from functioning effectively. Americans know it, and they are fed up.

According to a report by the Pew Research Center earlier this year: "Around seven-in-10 US adults (69%) say they are dissatisfied with the way democracy is working in their country." The survey also found that this share was higher than in most other high-income countries surveyed this spring.

Having secured majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, Democrats will take control in January 2027. They should use this opportunity to put forward policies that make the US political system honorable and ethical, and programs that address chronic economic miseries. But no one will be surprised if they embrace anger, selfishness and negativity. Right now, that is the American political way.

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