You probably need more parties... You have a federal system and yet only 2 real parties and one overall premier speaking for 330 million... Something went wrong. It might be better to treat your politicians with a bit more contempt, they seem to be viewed as leaders, whereas in the UK we see them as faciliators of public life who are pushing their luck. Very few people in the UK would put a poster of a candidate in their window. People seem to express their identity through politicians in America, which isn't a good idea IMO
I can imagine how annoying it is when Euros tell you how you should take a dump, apologies!