I mean, intellectually we may prefer to believe that elections matter, that we live in a representative republic. But, if we don't - and in fact, haven't for 90+ years - then what does this awareness even mean? How does it actually change our day-to-day lives? Does it suddenly mean no-knock midnight raids and gulags for conservatives? Why would these events occur now - and not before - just because the citizenry can see through the facade?
Why do we get to run up a $multi-trillion dollar national debt, which itself is a result of decades of 100 $billion annual deficits, paying for cool things like SS & medicare? It's because the dollar standard was established in 1944, and is backed by our global military operations. Do the young people getting their asses shot off in the MENA actually think they're defending the country, or does everyone understand it's purely a mercenary operation where enlisted get paid/gain experience and officers get promoted?
At a certain point, when the ability to suspend disbelief becomes compromised, each of us faces the same question: do we just go along with the flow, making hay while the sun shines, or do something? The flip side is, why would the deep state so cause such distress that a significant number would rise up? Let's agree that they're smart, clever and trained in the ways of governance. So why not let everyone have their guns, drive their cars, bitch moan and complain - just like every single day - to keep the farm animals happy?
"I mean, intellectually we may prefer to believe that elections matter, that we live in a representative republic. But, if we don't - and in fact, haven't for 90+ years - then what does this awareness even mean? How does it actually change our day-to-day lives? Does it suddenly mean no-knock midnight raids and gulags for conservatives? Why would these events occur now - and not before - just because the citizenry can see through the facade?"