For some reason, I've heard more than the usual amount of yelling about politicians lately (here and elsewhere, IRL.) I think we as citizens tend to forget something important about democracy, when we make those complaints.
And so, I'd like to share with you a story.
A young man works in the Senate cafeteria. He serves food to representatives and senators, and their guests. And cafeteria policy is, no more than one pat of butter per person.
One day, the young man is serving food to an older man, and the older man asks him for a second pat of butter.
"I'm sorry sir," says the young man, "cafeteria policy is only one pat of butter per customer."
The old man smiles as says "Son, you don't understand. I'm a senator. Now, let me have my butter."
"I'm sorry, sir. Cafeteria policy is only one pat of butter per person."
The senator is getting angry, and begins to raise his voice. "Boy, I chair the Senate Appropriations Commitee! Presidents quiver at my prescence! And I am asking you for another pat of butter! Who are you to tell me I can't have it?"
And the young man looks him right in the eye and says "I'm the man with the butter."
The only point I want to make with this tale is that we, as citizens, seem to forget that at the end of the day, we're the ones with the butter. If a politician is doing something you don't agree with, remind him of that.