I think there are plenty of good people in government but damn few if any in Congress and none in the White House since Carter (bad shit happened on his watch, but the fact that he seems to have been trying to atone since, suggests he was the last one who wasn't a sociopath). But in agencies there are lots of people trying to save the environment or public health, or improve education or whatever--often unable to do much because the top boss is appointed by a president or governor, who got there on the dime of special interests that spell out what the price is. For example, the West Virginia DEP never denies a permit for a coal mine or a gas well--and I assume it's because the top dog is appointed by a governor who says in private, "Now you're not to get in the way of the coal industry, understand?" And if the reply is equivocal, he picks someone else. Then this person rules over the division heads, whose staff can't do anything their bosses won't allow.