Why don't politicians listen to public opinion on the economy?

The dome of the US Capitol Building is seen as the sun sets on Capitol Hill in Washington.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Robert-Reich/2013/0329/Why-don-t-politicians-listen-to-public-opinion-on-the-economy?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+feeds%2Fwam+%28Christian+Science+Monitor+%7C+Business%29