Your statements belie your understanding of the nature of our form of government. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you seem to believe that if a law is passed it must be complied with, because it came from lawmakers.
This stands in stark contrast with men like Thomas Jefferson or George Washington who recognized that simply because a group of 'authorities' pass a law, doesn't compel one to obey it without question. King George was certainly the authority over the colonies yet enough people in that day felt a line had been crossed. They were told to 'disperse' by the police of their day when their firearms were to be confiscated but didn't. Because they chose not to comply we've had two centuries of relative freedom and prosperity.
The inevitable nature of any government is to continuously acquire more power. (Continuous monitoring of citizens is acquiring more power.) All Governments move toward totalitarianism over time. Our founders recognized this and gave us the means to shove any government back down that imagined itself as our masters rather than our servants.
MineralMan, do you think the government is more like your master or your servant in 2004?
People like you never see the problem with government getting more powerful because you think that careful observance of the law will save you. The problem with that notion is that the corrupting nature of power eventually makes the state unpleasant to deal with. True, we are not there yet, but Police States don't suddenly appear.
An unhealthy desire to track the movements of ordinary, presumably law-abiding citizens does not sound like the behavior of a government that is my servant. That sounds like a government that thinks it is my master.
"Of course you don't see a Police State on the horizon. That's because your idea of a 'protest' is complying timidly when the people in power tell you to stop. That is not 'protesting,' that's voicing an opinion then tucking tail when it's opposed. Protesting by definition requires standing for a principle even in the face of...gasp...ARREST."
I won't belabor this further beyond this post. I have the right to "peaceably assemble" and to petition my government. I exercize that right frequently.
When the cops come and order folks to disperse, I do so. Once the assembly ceases being peaceful, I no longer participate in it.
I know that I have been effective. I have seen the results of my participation in these "peaceable assemblies." You have no idea who I am or what I do or do not do.
You referred to me in an earlier post as "MineralSlave." That's an indication of how little you do know about me.
We have opportunities constantly to affect how government works. We have elections frequently. We have the ability to address government at all levels. On the local level, we may address any official meeting of government. You'll find me at these meetings, and what I say makes a difference.
No, I am not a slave of the government. I will never be. As long as I can stand up and address my government without fear, then I am not a slave.
I'm also not so conceited as to believe that I will always prevail. I'm one of a very large group. Sometimes the group agrees with me; sometimes it does not.
I support our system of government, as described in the Constitution of the United States. I have served in its military. I take every opportunity to exercize my rights to influence this representative republic.
I will not abide those who break the law in an attempt to subvert that Constitution. Exercize your freedom, but remember that you are not the only one in the country. Others may well disagree with you. If you can convince them, then you can turn the government in your direction. If not, then you can keep trying.
You may not, however, decide alone how the system works.