That I agree with. It's comforting to realize that, in the end, it really doesn't matter. However, it does matter when this tax increase or that tax cut decided by a guy I elected played a direct role in my neighbors ability to buy a house. It matter that liberal judges were elected (in NY? I forget where) decades ago that allowed for barely a majority to pass Roe v Wade changing/reflecting (I beleive it's both) the American culture in a matter of 10 years. (Although it's important to point out that one of those judges stated in his campaign that he would not support abortion "rights" and he was the surprise vote that passed Roe v Wade... so in that way, yes the electorate was duped and power was taken out of the people's hands. But they still voted for the other 4 (or whatever number of judges) that came into office.
But it is true that in the presidential elections we are very disconnected from teh win or loss of any candidate. Much of that has to do with the electoral college, but a lot of that has to do with our penchant for preserving the power of States over the whole (Vermont, for example, should be utterly and totally insignificant in a national election... and I wouldn't feel bad about that... but they actual have much more power than they should, even if it's very minimal still). I would continue and say that it matters that because we elected Bush we elected a war that probably wouldn't have happened (this is made clear to anyone when it becomes obvious that this war was in the works under the New American Century for years before Bush even arrived to the scene) and it matters that because we elected Bush and not Gore or Kerry we have two less pro-choice adovocate Judges than we would have... or at least it could matter one day. However that's hard to argue when we have this screwy electoral system. I voted (reluctantly) for Bush both times... and neither time did my vote have ANYTHING to do with his going to the WhiteHouse since my state went Democrat both times. (However, I just want to send a disclaimer that I am NOT suggesting that Gore would have won had we not had the electoral system. Many people don't vote in the national elections who DO vote in local elections becasue they feel their vote won't count... so who knows who would have won if we had popular vote... no one).
I admit that for me, national elections are more fun than anything. My state will go to Hillary or Barak most likely and I surely won't vote for any of them. Therefore, my vote will have NOTHING to do with ANYTHING... at all. Because Vermont would cry otherwise. But, that's how the game is played.
However, local politics does matter a great deal. Anyone who doesn't realize this needs to wake up. I find for me the more localized the vote, the less fun although scarier the vote can be. Oftentimes who your Drain comissioner is can have MUCH more effect on your life than who your senator or president is. And the more localized an election, the more your one vote really does matter. We just had a nearby election in which the Sheriff was a dead tie. I don't know hwo they resolved it but although uncommon, not unheard of.
Anyway, I do think democracy matters and it happens int he US, but I agree that the less local it gets the less we have a hand in anything and (even if we did) the less it effects our immediate lives.