What's going on

There are three things that occupy my time now that election time has passed. The above photos illustrate two of those things; the time I spend at the Detroit Zoo as a docent and photography. The third time is my family.
Right now, I'm thinking that there some problems facing our country that if not attended to could damage our country to the point that we could actually be faced with a government that is incapable of governing. The men and women who represent us in Washington seem to have forgotten the reason that they were elected. They were put into office to legislate for us not to bicker among themselves to the point where we move from one partisan crisis to another.During the last term of Congress almost nothing was accomplished. Bills languished in committee or were prevented from any deliberation by the Speaker of the House. In the Senate, the infamous filibuster was used over and over again to prevent action on legislation and appointments. Dozens of federal judicial appointments have been waiting confirmation for over a year. Why? The minority party is requiring a 60% majority vote because of the threat of a filibuster. In effect, a single senator has the power to block legislation.Committee meetings have degenerated into witch hunts during which spurious charges are blown out of proportion and character assassination seems to be the rule rather than the exception.Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House puts the chamber in recess for ten days using up critical days before the "sequester" come into effect on March 1st. Why a recess? So that member of the House who took office less than two months ago can go home to engage in FUND RAISING. These people are paid a salary of $175,000/yr plus an extremely generous benefits package for what has essentially become a part time job. Does anyone believe that we are getting out moneys worth from them?