Republicans have been frantically trying to whip votes over the past couple of weeks. In their mad dash to smite the Democrats and throw out Obamacare, they constructed an abomination of a healthcare bill that would leave drastically more people uninsured. And then they failed miserably. On Friday, President Donald Trump pulled the bill after the Republicans and his administration failed to cut the deal.

What happened to Art of the Deal? I thought Trump was a world-class dealmaker? Yikes. I bet this one hurts. How many angry tweets are we going to get out of this debacle?

But the real losers in the fight for a Republican healthcare bill are the American people. The Republicans were so worried about the bill, but why? Because they care deeply about their constituents? Or because they might lose their seats?

It seems like our politicians have lost sight of what’s at stake, of what actually matters. We elect our members of Congress to represent us and our interests. They take oaths to uphold the values that stand at the center of our Republic.

Maybe I’m being too idealistic. Do politicians really run for office to make a difference? Maybe their first election. By the fifth election, I doubt their constituents matter as much. It seems like, more often that not, politicians are only concerned with keeping their seats and coveting their own interests, even if it means hurting the American people in the process. Do they have no sense of responsibility? Have they forgotten why they’re there? Who put them there?

The members of Congress work for us. Have they forgotten that? Are they so drunk off their own power that they would fight to pass a bill that would only hurt Americans?

I know that not all members of Congress are like this, but it seems like more and more of them are. Republican lawmakers across the country refused to hold town halls and hear their constituents’ qualms and worries. It sort of defeats the purpose of having people in government to represent you when they refuse to listen to what you want.

Before now, I didn’t understand the problem with career politicians. It’s become such a buzz word, and it was thrown out as an insult at Hillary Clinton throughout the campaign, so I tended to discredit as a real issue. Now I understand.

Do I think a person like Donald Trump is the solution to career politicians? Absolutely not. I think our political leaders should have at least some political experience. Ronald Reagan is a good example. He wasn’t always a politician, but he had experience.

Our members of Congress need to remember who they work for and who put them in that capitol building. Next time they try to shove legislation down our throats, I think everyone would appreciate it if they did it for the greater good and not for the sake of saving their seats or their own personal interests. The American people should always come first. 

Chandler Gory is a sophomore majoring in political science. Her column runs biweekly.