The Founding Fathers taught me to distrust government in all of its forms, especially central government.
Every new power the Republicans demanded, from the Patriot Act to TSA, I would always ask, how would Hilary Clinton abuse this power?
We can survive the damage due to a few evil terrorists, even taking down the NY world trade towers. Life goes on and you pass the America Dream on to your childrem. We CANNOT survive the tyranny of oppression caused by a federal government with absolute power over us.
The founders taught us not just to suspect government, but to be downright cynical.. far too manymodern Americans love or trust government, and it is killing us by rapidly eroding our original Constitutional rights.
That is why we are doomed.
I agree with your posting. It is difficult to be optimistic these days.
How ironic it is that a "smart phone" is one which limits the government's ability to restrict your right to privacy, while a "smart gun" is one which would enable the government to infringe your right to keep and bear arms.