do we get the candidates we deserve?

considering the kind of time commitment I'll be making with the upcoming election -- the work that needs to be done to offset the interests of the capitalist class, and I wonder: is america worth it? do we get the candidates we deserve?

one of the field organizers I worked with was convinced that americans will vote for the guy they want to have a beer with.

well, I thought somewhat optimistically, that would rule out dick cheney.

but it didn't rule out ronald reagan or bush jr.

what I am NOT looking forward to this year is knocking on doors to get such responses as,

"voting is too much work"
"people forced to live on welfare are lazy and I'm going to make you listen to an vitriolic diatribe abt my problems with them which are really to do with my employer being a cheap bastard and not the fact that some people are sick or disabled and still need to eat"
or, the highly original doorslam

that said, the political fervor I find here, as well as the general commitment to leftist causes is quite inspiring. how do you guys avoid burnout? I wish I knew more irl activists, all the local politicos are careerists.