Sometimes legislators think they were elected to play God, and are recalled...
It is well known in Utah that the polls (and most everything else) in the Salt Lake tribune are utterly, totally bogus.
I agree that polls are crap...often they seem to be nothing more than naked attempts to manipulate politicians.
Another way to influence them in a republic is with powerful special interest groups like the NRA, CANF, etc.
Nevertheless, it's a very good thing to live in a republic vs a "direct democracy." Not sure whether the writer gets that or not, but as a "liberal," he probably doesn't.