If you’ve been on the Intertubz for any length of time (or like some of us, been on the thing since before anyone ever heard of “www.”), you’ve been on a forum or a blog comment thread or somewhere the discussion has turned political. If the nature of that discussion has turned to the ever-expanding powers of the state, the phrase “police state” has almost surely been uttered, and just as surely rejoined with “We’re not a police state! We’re the freeest country in the world!”
As a nation, we’re being crowded into a corner where we’re going to have to face some unpleasant facts whether we want to or not. Our government does not have the protection of our freedoms as an agenda item. It does not have the soundness of our economy as an agenda item. It does not have your best interests as an agenda item. As a matter of fact, Citizen, why don’t you STFU, go home and watch TV? Now.
Political party counts for nothing when they all do the same things when in power. As the merely wealthy are finding, much to their chagrin, regular wealth isn’t an insulator any longer. (Super wealth may still be, at least for some time yet.) We are now entering the Randian world where the only thing that matters are your connections–and even they will only get you so far, because your friends will only be your friends as long as you can be used to their ends.
Get used to it. Get ready for it. It’s going to be a long dark night. But preserve the idea and the ideals of the America that once was, and pass them on to your kids and grandkids. Once of these days, they will be able to put them to good use once again.