Unfortunately lobbyists write much of the legislation these days.

Otherwise legal and permanent secretaries ( civil servants ) draft laws and parliaments ( congress ) debate and amend them.

I conceed the executive branch does propose the policy and ideas on which they are based.

I am all for legislatures ( parliaments ) and elected representatives but the executive ( govt. ) seems to increasingly be at odds with the citizenry and serve those who fund their election or pad their retirements with directorships.

Sure have govt. just much less of it - there are far too many laws and far too many bad laws.

Fewer better, well considered laws, informed by public debate.

Really watch a couple of episodes of Yes Minister, that shows how it works not how they say it works.