Perhaps the problem is the gullibility of the people, who accept the government's stated purpose for a program as true. Obviously, a government which wants to lower the standard of living is not going to announce a program to do that. No, of course not, although the programs instituted to assist the family farmer seem to have done just that. Again, theoretically, a way to solve our problems, but in practice, a waste of time. The corner filling-station isn't operated that way, much less large businesses.
Voting is encouraged because our rulers make sure that any of the candidates is acceptable.
Sound and fury, signifying nothing. Everything is appearances. Government programs appear to fail, but only because their true purpose was never disclosed. Elections appear to replace the old guard with young turks, but, somehow, nothing ever changes. More and more freedom is lost, as more and more power accumulates in Washington.