the value of knowing your neighbor

Interesting suggestion for why the US legislators seem so much more contentious than in a previous 'golden' era: because fewer of them live in D.C. so they don't socialize with each other and get to know each other as human beings.  Instead, they fly back to their home districts where they attend fund-raisers and hear from those who voted for them.  I've heard this theory from more than one source now.  The moderating influence of knowing your neighbors seems plausible as one factor.  Another, forgetting that once elected, one represents all the voters, not only the votes of one's supporters.