Chicken and egg I guess. Of course in a democracy we rely on the voters to put competent people into office. I guess the question also is, are elected officials obligated to represent the people who voted them in to the point that they will vote against their own better judgement to please the people. I have to hope the politicians in the end are guided by some ethics, morals, and hopefully a little smarter than the average person, but it’s just hope. I guess I lean towards the elected officials in the end have the ultimate influence. Look at segregation—it was changing the laws that in the end started the real change. Maybe I’m wrong though, it’s very complicated. I say all the time that we need to go back to grass roots as a nation to improve relations between the left and the right. That if we the people go back to respect and compromise the leaders will follow.