[Dunstan McShane]

Nope. They are imperial masters. Just ask 'em.

Well, they like to think and say they are. We don't have to agree with them.

And they are, after all, imperial masters with an expiration date.

[Little Ray]

Well, lessee. There is little or no turnover in Congress; Congresscritters spend most of their time running for office; when elected they become employees of the Federal Government, as opposed to being reprentatives of their states or districts.
Legislation is mostly written by lobbyist and other NGOs, and is passed by Congresscritters who frequently have little or no idea of what is in it (but the title sure sounds good...). Power seems concentrated in the hands of unelected bureaucrats and life-tenures judges.

I'd say our votes are almost worthless. I vote 'cause I hope there is still some marginal value to the vote, but I don't expect much, anymore.