[HiTech RedNeck]

If it’s not these weasels it’s some other weasels. It’s an open secret. Congress seems to be living on Neptune or Pluto sometime for all its awareness of the rest of the world.

[khnyny]

If it’s not these weasels it’s some other weasels. It’s an open secret. Congress seems to be living on Neptune or Pluto sometime for all its awareness of the rest of the world.

I agree that virtually anyone who gets elected to Congress becomes isolated from the masses, so to speak. They become cut off from their constituency, but receive more and more influence from lobbying groups.

For instance, if you're Joe Schmoe from a Congressman's district, do you think you could get through his administrative staff and actually get an appointment to meet with said Congressman? Whereas, if you're Joe Hotshot with a leading lobbying group, your chances get a whole lot better.

The influence (and therefore the vote) comes from the money pot, not the people. Also, it can be subtle, as the lobbying groups provide manipulative "data" and "studies" which can convince people in government that the lobby group presenting this "data" is correct in it's assessments. Also, they are all friends, and most in Congress go on to work for the Beltway and K street bandits (revolving door).