Healthcare Reform

I heard something on the radio yesterday that really bothered me about our government. Granted, there are many things that bother me about our government, but this is just the epitome of many of those things.

A Republican was elected into one of the Senate seats for Massachusetts. Immediately following the election results, the Democrats went into a huddle to see how this would affect their big plans. None of that is surprising. The Democrats no longer hold a 2/3 majority. (I know there's a term for that, but I can't think of it right now.)

Anyway, the following day the President and the Majority Leader come out moderating their stance on healthcare reform. NOW they are willing to work with the "other side of the aisle" to rally around the points of reform that they can both agree on?

Now? Two days ago they were willing to stuff whatever they wanted down the throats of the American people regardless of what THEY might want... just because they could. But now that that is no longer likely, NOW they are willing to work together on something that everyone can AGREE on? That just boggles my mind. It shouldn't, but it does.

Is this how it went down with the TARP funds? I heard someone (on that same radio station) mention a while back that during that time, the Senate offices were so flooded with e-mail that they actually cut the bandwidth (not sure if that is the correct term), so only minimal number of e-mail could get through. How's that for representation?

I WANT to represent the people I serve, but I want MORE to do this thing... so I'll just turn off the answering machine? Really?

Do you FEEL represented?