Quite so. I was focusing more on the internal considerations because I think there are too many "ghosts in the machine" within our system to allow it to quickly adjust to its own changes, let alone the outside factors. That and there is a tendency (aided by the addition to polls) on the part of some policy makers to focus on internal factors to the virtual exclusion of the other parties involved.
In keeping with Wayne's comment, I don't think there's a silver bullet for this problem. Far from it. Our system is somewhat tailored to respond quickly (or fairly quickly) to internal problems and doesn't focus much on what goes on outside the borders. As parties rotate through power, our policies become circular in a way...providing a sort of continuity provided one is patient enough to wait for the pendulum to swing back to his favorite corner. Sometimes those swings are radical, but I think that has more to do with the entrenched power structures in Congress than anything else.
Part of the key may lie in the Department of State, but I'm not sure if their infrastructure is sound enough to carry consistent policy evaluation these days. If current events are any clue, I would say that it is not...
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