I am posting this piece, not because it offers some helpful insights, but as a piece that illustrates a typical American's reactions when it finally dawns on them that they are living in a not-as-yet-fully-formed police state. Actually, this writer is obviously above average in education and in his awareness of a bad situation. But his reactions are very typical of ordinary Americans once they wake up. After expressing shock, he makes reference to a wonderful past under "democracy"and expresses other confused statements, then resorts to a simpleton's need to provide a simple explanation--it's all human nature.
At a higher level of generality, America is no longer a democracy. If you think this a rash assertion, ask yourself whether you have the slightest influence over policies that matter to you. ...National politics employs a sort of political price-fixing, in which you are permitted to choose among a number on indistinguishable candidates and told that you are having an election.
None of this is going to stop.
Why is it happening? Some suspect a vast conspiracy to Sovietize the country. I doubt it. Don’t look for a conspiracy when human nature is an adequate explanation. Presidents never want to suffer the restraints on constitutionality, the agonizing slowness of a congress that often has little understanding of the issues; if presidents can do things by fiat, or secretly, they will.(He seems to be saying) Ho, hum. Just be cool and sophisticated like me. I'm sure we can adjust.