By Carol Costello and Eric Marrapodi, CNN
(CNN) – The journey to health care reform, in the president's words, has been a "difficult journey." Some might say that is the understatement of the year.
The debate over health care reform has been more than difficult - it's been arduous, bitter, extreme and divisive. Some say it's been so emotional and so overwrought it has changed our political culture for good.
"I think Americans got to see how the sausage was made in real time...and it didn't smell very good," says Drew Westen, a political psychologist.
That "smell" sent approval ratings south. A recent Pew Research Poll shows the most frequent one-word descriptions of Congress include: dysfunctional, corrupt, and inept.
And, analysts say, there is a real sense lobbyists, big business and unions are "buying" votes.
"The way we're running it now doesn't look like a democracy anymore," says Westen. "This looks like let's find the golden mean between the bankers' interest and the public interest. That doesn't sit well with most Americans."
The country's disdain for politicians, and in part, health care reform, gave rise to passionate town hall meetings this past summer. Those angry meetings led to the rise of the Tea Party and charges of socialism. The heated debate over health care reform also solidified, in many voters' minds, that Republicans belonged to the "party of no," and Democrats to the "party of dysfunction."
Health care reform also, in part, prompted at least twenty state legislatures to consider resolutions re-asserting "states rights."
It also cost Democrats a senate seat in Massachusetts and gave new meaning to "speaking your mind." Who can forget Congressman Joe Wilson's "you lie" outburst at a joint session of Congress?
If you're nodding your head and wondering, not if our political culture has changed, but how voters will react to that change? Westen says, "They'll either be cynical and not show up at the polls in November or they're going to become angry and someone is going to use that anger as motivation to change the rules of the game."
I'd like to know what you think this morning. How has the health care debate changed our political culture? Your view of our political process? Politicians? Or has it changed anything at all?