Anyways, those who are statists are very patient types, they know they can slip stuff through here and there, both at the local and national level (research just how much passes through Congress without really being scrutinzed, you'll be shocked). As long as Joe Blow is happy, and has his Big Mac, his Coke, and his reality TV shows, he won't care.
It's amazing how easily people will give up this or that, either because they don't care, or because Republicans are in office (regardless of the fact that the liberals could be back in office in another election cycle).
Very astute observation.