Anyone who has the nerve can run for office and become part of the government... I don't think "the government" has any mind of its own... it's more a case of "decision by committee", trying to be "too politically correct"... ie. if people can't agree on something, just ignore it. "Ignorance is bliss". It takes one hell of a personality to get anything changed, even in a private company. Government is 10 times harder.
RE: People don't understand money. We really should. We really should try to explain it super simply.