Living in South Bend as I do, I follow our IN-2nd Congressional district representative Jackie Walorski on Twitter -- @RepWalorski -- and I check out her press releases on her Walorski.house.gov site from time to time. I know that she signed the August letter (top of page 3) urging House leaders to play hardball on the budget deadlines this fall and to link those political maneuvers to a long-term attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But as the days go by and she blames the Senate over and over again for the government shutdown, I find myself dismayed, as it seems like relentless political sloganeering at best and utterly dishonest propaganda at worst (given the plans revealed in the August letter). So I wrote her an email through her website today. Here's what I said:

• Message Subject: Your criticism of the Senate

• Thank you for this reply to my recent email about the shutdown. I am disappointed that you continue to blame the Senate--on Twitter, in press releases, and there in your letter of reply. Be brave and take responsibility for your actions. You are attempting to win a legislative battle without having a majority in the Senate by withholding funding and refusing to vote on the Senate's bill. Respect the voters of IN-2 and just say what you are doing. When my elected officials choose rhetoric that is so obviously political, as you are doing here, I turn away from them. When they tell the fuller story and stand by their values, I respect them. It has taken so short a time for you to learn the worst of Washington's ways. Ken Smith