Trouble is that all politics, American or otherwise, comprise systems of
favors asked and owed. One may vote for a bill one hates just to get
it's supporters to vote for your bills, or to get campaign funds from
special interest groups, or simply to get cash from a lobbiest to but a
Mercedes. By the time any politician reaches any office of import (s)he
owes his soul to somebody. If "somebody" couldn't "count on him" he
couldn't have raised the support to get nominated or the $$$ to get
elected.

That kind od corruption is a fact of life in Sacramento, D.C., Toronto,
London, and AFAIK all Western Democracies (except your of course (c.
But every once in a while somebody like Jesse Ventura or Swartznegger
comes along who already has the public support politicians buy with
campaign promises and that scares the **** out of them because they
don't have the usual strings on him. Like, who knows what Arnie might
do! Veto the RTL crowd's favorite anti-abortion bill? Keep welfare moms
from birthing more future Democrats? Worst of all they have no control
over him, like they'd have over one of their own. Whaaaaaa .... booo
hooo .... Should'a stuck with some crooked politician .......