Passage Summary: Politicians are so focused on their own careers and fighting with each other that they aren't thinking about the actual results of their laws, which means they aren't helping their constituents.

Conclusion: Contemporary legislatures are failing to pass laws that actually help the people they represent.

Reasoning: Legislators focus on their own careers and use polarizing language that triggers emotional reactions in their colleagues rather than focusing on the consequences of the laws.

Analysis: The argument establishes a requirement for benefiting constituents: legislators must consider the actual consequences of a law. It then points out that current legislators are distracted by careerism and polemical rhetoric. To reach the conclusion that they are failing to benefit constituents, the argument must assume that this distracting behavior actually prevents them from considering those consequences. Look for an answer that bridges the gap between 'polemical career-advancement' and the 'failure to consider consequences.'