Reply #4: I actually took it as closing some stories

[Horse with no Name]

so they can open some new ones. I think they are going to send Amy to Washington--her staff will be Donna and Bruce (with Donna as a child advocacy attorney and Bruce moving forward to receiving a degree in psych).
My take on the show (and I may be dreaming) is that the writers seem to be very liberal.
Perhaps they want to show more of what is going on this country as far as budget cuts, etc, to in an artistic venue of course.
Best way to do it is to send in a new Democrat to Washington to shake things up.
That's what I see happening and I hope I am right and you are wrong--I've seen almost every episode and it is one I would miss.