Government plays a lot larger of a role in your daily life than you probably realize. Try to go an entire day with out interacting with the government on any level–it is pretty close to impossible. You cannot buy anything without money, which the government regulates and issues. Want to go somewhere? You will probably drive on a road which was built with government funding. The license plate on your car is issued by the government and your drivers license has to meet federal and state regulations. Live in a city? Most public transportation is federally subsidized. Many commercial goods are imported which means they are taxed, many times on the national, regional, and local scales. Even the food you eat is regulated by the government for quality and purity standards.
So, it's safe to say that the government plays a huge role in your life whether you recognize it or not.
The thing about government is that we get distracted. Most of us remember when the government was shut down in 2013 due to the inability of congress to pass a budget for 2014. People were infuriated because "the government can't do anything." Bills like Obamacare and changes in military spending are extremely controversial and are covered in the news frequently. It is easy to forget that the government is more than the people in power and the big flashy bills they try to pass.
Think about the government as your roommates. It is easy for you all to decide that you want pizza for dinner. It is hard however to decided who is going to have what room, how much the room with the bathroom attached costs versus the rooms that don't have an attached bathroom, who cleans what and when, and how late you can have people over, among a long list of other things. To make things even more complicated, you have to decide on all of these things unanimously and if you disagree with one part of the proposed plans you have to vote no, because it is all a package deal. This, while complicated, is how a lot of major government bills work.
It is easy to debate back and forth over one issue and then eventually solve the problem. If you are trying to do this with thousands of issues all at once and they all hinge on each other, it gets difficult. Add in the fact that your vote is not just what you want but also must encompass your constituency, your donors, and your party loyalty and you have how complex major bills are to pass.
This difficult and complex system is actually working the way it was designed to: slowly. Our government is not supposed to bend to the whims of the people but instead stand the test of time. So while it is easy to get frustrated with these major controversial bills, remember that you interact with the government all day every day. The government is more than these major bills and controversial politicians. The government is an essential part of your everyday life and it is important to remember all the government does for you, even when it is frustrating.
