The US cult of the personal interest above all else must have some effect, even on politics. It's a cultural problem, when corruption or self-enrichment is tolerated in public offices where the holders are supposed to act as good stewards of the common project.

I think cynicism and acceptance are two sides of the same coin, unfortunately.

One cannot cite high tax levels as a downside without looking at what you get for the bargain. High price is not a downside when you get better value for money.