Who are these people?

Oh. The lawmakers.

“Military service was once a very common experience for members of Congress, but it’s far more the exception than the rule these days. From the end of World War II until the close of the Gulf War, a majority of members in the House and Senate had served in the military. Today, barely a fifth can count themselves veterans. The 83rd Congress (1953-55) had 309 veterans among its ranks. The current Congress has just 109. The implications of this change — from congressional attitudes toward war, to the military, and to American internationalism — are profound, as is the sense of commitment to a team and a hierarchy of leadership.”

(Just one example of who decides what we do.)

http://american.com/archive/2013/july/congress-isnt-what-it-used-to-be

More partisan, more likely to filibuster and requiring more money to get elected. Changes … Well, at one time many congressmen owned slaves.