The only accountability any of us has is in the election booth. My suggestion that picking the best man and then supporting him while he is in office is not mutually exclusive to accountability. If he doesn't measure up or better candidate comes along, vote him out next time around.
This fixation you seem to have with accountability or the lack thereof, is quite perplexing. You claim it is not there yet it is excercised every time you enter the voting booth. Do you not vote? Is that it? I guess if one doesn't vote then yes, one would have issues with accountability. However, projecting your paranoia onto others that, as opposed to you, excercise due diligence in their citizenship, is not only unproductive, it may be harmful to your mental well being.
For example: way too often I see the old "I won't vote for Bush because..." followed by a screed about someone's pet issue, and how the President has somehow failed to address it to this person's satisfaction, yet, this may be an issue that Bush had never prmised action on during his candidacy, nor can you find it in the GOP platform.
One needs to actually listen to the things candidates promise to do, note the things they don't make any promises on, and judge their performance based on that.
Where exactly did I claim it's not there?
My question had more to do with elected politicians' accountability than with an individual voter's accountability.
I agree that a voter is accountable when he votes, but that's not the full extent of his responsibility. If it were, a politician voted into office could essentially enact whatever policy he'd like, even if it goes against the wishes of his constituents, because hey, he got the vote, right?
It's is the voter's responsibility to hold the elected official accountable for his actions. For instance, if a Republican we voted into office began to support tax and spending increases or other leftist agenda, would we not write and call in voicing our opposition? If we didn't, we'd be supporting political fiefdom.