I was with you until "It can (and will) be used against them at election time and their checks and balances (us as voters) fall for it all the time because we (as a collective whole) are short sighted and scared that something might happen and don't want to be someone who voted for someone soft on security."
Everyone's vote is secret, so no one will come to your house and bust your balls over voting for someone who comes out against defeating terrorists. The problem is that there are no incentives to become well-read in the issues behind each election. Maybe we can find a way to incentivize learning the facts and becoming well-read on issues before elections [1]
Individual voters are influenced by media. Publishers look hard for any story they can spin into public outrage; it's natural for politicians not to want to be a hero of such story, because it will cost them votes.
They're also influenced by education. There's nothing to suggest that education is less subversive to your individual thoughts and preferences than "media", except the media you consume is largely voluntary, while education is forced upon you while you are a minor.
Everyone's vote is secret, so no one will come to your house and bust your balls over voting for someone who comes out against defeating terrorists. The problem is that there are no incentives to become well-read in the issues behind each election. Maybe we can find a way to incentivize learning the facts and becoming well-read on issues before elections [1]
[1] http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/06/17/political-vi...