Brakes are terrible.

It is most likely you have air in the brake fluid. The first press of the pedal compresses the air and the effect lasts for a little while.
Another cause may be warped (bent) rotors, the pads can be pushed back into the calipers by the off center area of the rotor. This means that the pads have to travel further in order to contact the rotors when you press the pedal.

Look through the openings in your front wheels and look at the front rotors-are they gouged up? You are probably running metal-to-metal, pads to rotors.
Chances are real good your rotors will have to be replaced along with new pads, but if you catch it early enough you might be able to have them machined, although nowadays that is hardly easy to get done and the savings usually is not as significant as it once was.

Front brake
Step 1: Identify Front Disc Brake Components

Front Wheel Drive Brake Assembly
Most front disc brake components include: brake rotor, brake pads, brake caliper, caliper mount and brake flex hose. Brake service usual occurs between 20,000 and 40,000 miles depending on driver habits, road conditions and brake pad/ rotor materials used.
Step 2: Remove Brake Caliper to Replace Pads

Removing Brake Caliper Mounting Bolts
Locate primary caliper mounting bolts; apply wrench pressure counter-clockwise (When looking at the head of the bolt) to remove the bolts, upper and lower. Make sure the bolt threads are in good shape and replace if necessary.
Step 3: Remove Front Brake Caliper

Remove Front Brake Caliper
After removing the primary caliper mounting bolts lift the brake caliper off of the rotor and then tie or secure to the side, being careful not to bend or kink the brake caliper flex hose. Thoroughly inspect brake caliper and brake hoses for leakage, cracks or chaffing and replace as needed. Next remove the brake pads (If not mounted in the caliper) and secondary caliper mounting bolts. Notice how great protective gloves work, most technicians use them on the job today.
Step 4: Remove Brake Pads

Remove Front Brake Pads
Once the brake pads have been removed, make sure if there is anti rattle hardware to transfer to the new brake pads. Some brake pad manufacturers will include the proper lube (Caliper slides) and anti-rattle hardware to ensure proper performance of their product.
Step 5: Remove Caliper Mount

Remove Caliper Mount Bracket
Finish removing secondary caliper mount bolts and remove caliper mount. Note: clean and lube caliper slides and pad friction surfaces of all foreign material or build-up.
Step 6: Remove Brake Rotor

Remove Brake Rotor
With the caliper mount out of the way you can now remove the brake rotor. Sometimes it can get stuck so you may need to tap it with a hammer or use penetrating oil to free it up. Some manufacturers use small screws to hold the rotor on as well. Clean and inspect wheel studs, replace if any are damaged. Also clean bearing hub rotor mount surface to ensure the proper mounting of the new brake rotor. Inspect the ABS sensor wheel for cracks or damage and replace as needed.
Step 7: Depressing the Brake Caliper

Resetting Brake Caliper
To install the new brake pads you must retract the brake caliper piston. Remove the master cylinder lid or open the brake caliper bleeder screw to allow excess brake fluid to be released if necessary. Install C clamp tool and gently tighten clamp until caliper piston is fully depressed. Note: use old brake pad to protect the caliper piston. Close the bleeders once the piston is retracted completely
Step 8: Installing New Brake Rotor

Install Brake Rotor
Install new brake rotor, the new rotor is manufactured with a protective film over the rotor to keep it from rusting, remove protective film with brake cleaner before installing; also after the brake job is complete you may experience a small amount of smoke from the rotor when first used. This is normal and will go away after the first couple of uses.
Step 9: Installing New Front Brake Pads

Installing New Brake Pads
Reinstall the front brake caliper mount, and then install front brake pads. Make sure the pads are seated properly in the caliper mount; it must be a close fit to work properly..
Step 10: Reinstall Front Brake Caliper

Re-Install front Bake Caliper
Reinstall front brake caliper and reinstall caliper-mounting bolts, recheck all mounts and mounting bolts. Check the caliper slides to be sure there is no bind and that the caliper moves freely back and forth on the caliper slides. Bleed brake system per manufacturer's specifications to relieve any air trapped in the system. Before driving the vehicle, push the brake pedal down and let it up slowly, repeat until normal brake pedal operation resumes, this operation is forcing the brake pads to travel to the brake rotors.

I agree with what you were told about turning the rotors. With the lower cost of replacement rotors and the metal in the original rotors, does make them hard to turn and stay true.

checked out replace pads /and cut rotors if pads are glazed over [film u were told ] the pads are smoothed over from getting to hot -riding brake or stop and go traffic lot of down hill braking which ever was the cause ur brakes got over heated and glazed over and are very smooth also the heat transferred to the rotors also warped them when u get steering shake when braking 90 percent of the time its warpage in rotor and the only way is to have them removed and put on a cutter to check for out of round also abs doesnt cause this abs [anti-lock braking] is designed to transmit a pulse to ur brakes when it senses a wheel is about to lock up or skid u would feel the pulse in ur brake pedal not ur steering

No, but could be pad knock back which can be caused by run out of the rotors. This can happen if your pads have worn down too far in the past. I'd advise you to have the rotors ground (on the car) and new pads fitted. The fronts are critical but have the rears checked for run out too. Sometimes new seals in the calipers can help hold the pads against the rotors.This will improve the loss of pedal condition.

have you thought about replacing the brake pads and/or rotors?

make sure the rear shoes are manually adjusted up properly ,then is still no good renew the master cylinder because the seal between the front and rear chambers could have gone ,but i do feel that you should manually adjust the rear brakes up properly,slacken handbrake cable before you do this though

your problem lies with the brake hydrovac, it is the big round thing where your brake master is mounted.

All you have to do is take the calipers off crack open the bleeder of the side you are working on leave the old pad in the caliper and press the pad in as far as it will go tighten bleeder clean the rotors with brake clean to get the oily substance off they put on during shipping to keep them from rusting put rotor back in place and put new pads in caliper if they give you grease for the caliper sliders put some on the caliper bolts and sliders the thing the bolts go into on the caliper so they move fairly easy this way your brakes will work better and last longer put caliper back in place tighten caliper bolts snug usually with a ratchet like a good 3/8 ratchet then do the other side fill up the master cylinder with proper brake fluid usually dot3 but should say on master cylinder cap bleed brakes if you did just the front bleed the passenger side first pump pedal a few times dont go all the way to the floor have someone open the bleeder on the right front passenger front while holding pedal down with just a little pressure one foot on pedal one under pedal so it dont go to the floor then do the same for the other side check fluid start vehicle if pedal is good go for a test drive and thats it.