No we're not.

A new President can be voted in every four years; the entire House of Representatives can be replaced every two years; and one-third of the Senate can be turned over every two years.

Well more than half of the U.S. electorate believes our current government should be graded FAILED based on a large CNN poll. Based on your post, you are clearly among them. Only two things would be necessary to change the direction of government...

-- First, everyone that is registered should vote.

-- Second, VOTE OUT THE INCUMBENTS! Don't be tempted to vote for a party and don't err by believing that "your" representatives are OK, that it's all the others that create the problem. Don't vote for any of them. Vote for someone new.

It's pretty simple really. Not at all like the abhorrent examples you used in your post. The American public will have another shot at it in only a little more than a year. If we keep voting for the people already in office, we deserve what we get.