Actually from a political science point of view..
The fact that politicians HAVE to pander is a good thing. It is what prevents political parties from bunkering down and acting in their own interests.
It is why, for example, if the republican party gets into power they won't just make gay marriage illegal again (or... democrats... I honestly forget who is who)
Yeah. This was largely the argument I had with my brother today... He was insisting that politicians should always pander 100% to the people who elect them (the 51% who chose them over the other guy, and who probably disagree with them on tons of issues). Specifically, it's evil to ever make a concession in Congress because it's selling out your constituents. You should always stubbornly insist on getting exactly what you want, which is somehow what your constituents want (ugh).
I tried to argue that it's not wrong for a senator to approve an important bill in exchange for a rider boosting their state. They represent their state. Is gay marriage really so wrong that they need to sacrifice their states own interests to fight it?
Well here in NC, McCrory sure thinks so... Guy's more dedicated to his principles (destroying "Obamacare" and putting guys in women's bathrooms) that he's turned down *billions* in federal funding, and doesn't care that corporations are boycotting us in droves. Guy's more principled than a 3rd party protest voter (except that it's us citizens who get the shaft).
Sorry, just watched the local governor debate. The balls on him to say we created that issue due to Charlotte. He made it a state issue by, ironically, demanding a regulation on business. Ugh.
Also, apparently Clinton's a liar for calling single-payer "untenable" in the leaks. See, see?? She promised single payer allllllll this time, yet secretly thought it never had a chance! /s (My brother was claiming this, I suspect because that SecularTalk blowhard screamed it)
It's like that wasn't one of the core issues of the primary debates, fuck!
Hell I'm pretty optimistic about single payer now, thanks to Trump destroying the Republican party. But noooooooo, after 3 hours, my brother still insists she's a duplicitous bitch for """secretly""" calling it untenable.
I'm sitting there agreeing that maybe she's a liar on tons of other stuff, but surely not this, but nope. Completely irrational. It's deeply frustrating. Sorry.