On a semi-unrelated note, I think my favourite George Carlin quote is this one:

"I often warn people: "Somewhere along the way, someone is going to tell you, 'There is no "I" in team.' What you should tell them is, 'Maybe not. But there is an "I" in independence, individuality and integrity."

I despise the use of the t-word to imply responsibility to employees beyond what they are paid for (eg "You're letting the team down" when they take the entirely reasonable action of going home on time having worked their contracted hours, prioritising their families instead of that stupid last-minute management meeting or idiotic pseudo-crisis that could have been avoided with proper planning and staffing). Thank God I'm not in corporate culture anymore.

Anyway, to the matter at hand, yes, I think Carlin has a point here, though not just about America (I'm in the UK). My own view of politicians is that they are like nappies, ie a functional necessity that must be changed regularly, or they stink. But no matter what, they will always end up stinking.