Try this experiment: Ask a group of 5-10 people around you to raise their hands if they've been pissed off at any branch or level of their government. Then ask them to keep their hands up if they've contacted their representatives about that issue. Finally, ask them if the method of contact they used was the phone or written (not email) letter.
I'll bet dollars to donuts that not a single hand will be in the air.
You and I are the problem because we don't hold our representatives accountable. We really only pay attention (and marginal attention at that) during election time by buying into the campaign bullshit. At best we sign an online petition but the politicians barely care about that. They know that its easy even for the most apathetic to click a button. Sure, in cases like net neutrality it can get their attention but I'll submit that what really got their attention was the number of phone calls they were getting.
Yes, I specifically am to blame because I haven't called or written my representatives. That's going to stop. We need to be on the horn with these people frequently. Weekly. When they're in town we need to be in their faces. They said, "If you see something, say something." Well, I see corruption and I'm going to point right at them and tell them. Will you join me?
EDIT: I should add that we need to be contacting them when we approve of the work they're doing. They need data. Most of the feedback they receive is negative (and for good reason) but without positive feedback they're left searching and unfortunately the guys who claim to have the answers are the lobbyists. But remember, there are around 15,000 lobbyists in Washington D.C. but 131,144,000 voters voted in the 2012 Presidential election. I like our chances, if only we get involved.