I've only read this once, and I've having some trouble with the psychological logic presented here. Nonetheless, it is a discussion that deserves furthering.

Unfortunately, the voters cannot judge an aspriring politician on their skills of "collaboration" (I like to use "consultation"). Most of us have never sat in meetings with the people who are on the ballots.

For example, I have sat on a few community boards over the years. It takes me about six meetings to know whether a fellow board member is interested in what I have to say or is just being polite while graciously giving me a soapbox to stand on. One cannot make this kind of determination from any election compaign.

So any campaign based on colloration or consultation is unlikely to gain many votes. So campaigners revert to ideology, emotion, and attacking opponents.

We really need to rework this whole democracy thing.