Sometimes I am struck with a moment of serious thought. I attribute many of these moments to listening to Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR).

I would probably be called a Republican. I don't think I've ever voted a straight ticket, but I default to voting Republican: I vote in Republican Primaries; When there is a contest I am not familiar with, I tend to vote for the Republican candidate.

I am beginning to wonder if I've been wrong voting Republican all these years, or if maybe, perhaps gradually and unnoticed, the Republican Party became something it didn't use to be.

Many of the newly elected Republican representatives have said that their election is a mandate by the people to repeal "Obamacare". As I wrote to my Republican representatives, "To tell the truth, I didn't vote for you because you said you would repeal health care reform. The vote was more for the least scary of the candidates' 'promises'."

One of the independent candidates for a Wisconsin office in last November's election filled out the declaration of candidacy form with "Common sense" where "Party affiliation or belief" was requested. He became the founder of the "Common Sense" party! He said (on WPR) that it was his belief that common sense should be used in politics.

I also believe in common sense in politics. I also believe that there should be compromise. Whenever I hear some party spokesperson say "We won!" I fear for the people, for they have most likely lost in some way.

I occasionally write to my representatives, both state and national, but I don't consider myself a politcal activist, or even very politcally knowledgeable. I also think that most people who have strong opinions on what are referred to as the "right" and "left" may also be not very politically knowledgeable. It seems that true government of, by, and for the people is a compromise that can only be somewhere in the middle.

Democrats call it the Affordable Care Act.

Republicans call it Obamacare.

From my limited viewpoint, I think it was mostly insurance reform, without getting at the real root cause of health care cost concerns.

I wrote this to my representatives about health care reform.