With both sides seeking maximum advantage, gridlock is a distinct possibility.
At its current rate of metro and road construction, India is headed for gridlock on a massive scale.
Make no mistake: the challenges that the U.S. faces are formidable, and persistent political gridlock could delay badly needed fiscal and structural reforms.
But it wasn't until this spring's political gridlock destroyed any hope for productive conversations about the economy that Swann felt that US might someday struggle to pay its debts.
What looks like a system of checks and balances today could look like gridlock tomorrow.
The year of gridlock reached a low point in the midsummer showdown over the federal debt ceiling.
The 2012 election will focus less on the thing once called "the global war on terror" and more on gridlock in Washington, lost jobs, soaring spending and towering debt.
A similar scheme led to massive gridlock last year during Hurricane Ivan.
The gridlock has gotten so bad that Sao Paulo's well-connected and wealthy have made the city home to the second-largest helicopter fleet in the world.
For now, squabbling or even gridlock will mark the Diet at least until the spring.
That could mean a continuation of the scrappy coalition that has undermined Mr Hatoyama’s first months in office—or worse, political gridlock.
When demonstrations or traffic-signal failures bring Mexico’s streets to gridlock, businessmen can be seen strapping their briefcases onto Ecobicis.
They often produce gridlock: managers representing the functions and those having an eye on markets cannot agree.
I knew I had to have their support to succeed, and they knew the American people would hold us all accountable for breaking the partisan gridlock in Washington.
But, surprise surprise, gridlock could doom its efforts.
America faces gridlock between the White House and Congress.
