Representation Hardly Represents

Even in the most democratic of our federal institutions, we hardly get the democratic choices that truly represent us.

DailyKos confirms that Rep. L. Alexander (D-LA) has resisted GOP efforts to draw him to their "dark side". He only won by 52%, while Bush took the rural southern district by 57%, and the GOP congressman in 2000 took it by 69%. Not to mention how often we hear complaints about Zell Miller or John Breaux, some very conservative Democratic Senators, down there. But Democrats are happy to keep them, as long as they make their party-line votes for Speaker, or not impeaching a Democratic politician., or investigating a Republican politician. And Republicans like Arlen Specter are just the same way.

Since these "oxymembers" have incumbency advantage, more likely to be towards the center of their district than their opponents, and are likely to get tons of campaign finance because they are in a "swing district" they continue to trounce members who would much better represent their district. I mean, if the House of Representatives has problems with not enough districts being competitive anyway, couldn't those solid districts at least represent the correct party?!