Just as choosing our "representation" has changed from one of competing positive qualities to picking the slightly-less-bad option, public relations has changed into an exercise in settling as well. When bad press is a given, for corporate politicians especially, total control can still be kept by manipulating exactly WHAT that bad press is; better apparent egg in the face than a Loss.

It is the establishment's normalized facade- a sort of scandal shell-game. Just one example: "We must fight terrorism overseas- it's bad and is threatening our Freedom." With that one sentence of psychological pseudo-logic, this discussion triggers emotional responses while framing the narrative away from all rational perspective. Even to argue it appears like unpatriotic, naive idiocy.

Yet it is idiocy. Anyone looking at any actual statistics knows that the greatest threat to our Freedom is our own government. The same government that is telling us to send our kids away to obediently die killing whoever they choose. It seems a convenient mesh of utilizing disposable resources, power expansion, instilling nationalism, economic conquest, and even global population control.

And still all that ignores the greater perspective: how do poor freedom fighters in third world countries threaten us, unless we invade it and give them a reason to seek retribution? The United States makes millions off arms sales, leaving in its wake destruction and refugees. Then we prey on business opportunities; loans and contractors to rebuild them in our image, dependent upon America.

It's a continuing pattern that the whole world sees painfully well... besides us Americans, of course. Our news channels are privately owned by that same handful of corporations who own politicians via campaign donations and lobbying. Reports scripted to shape our perception have us believing we are somehow the reasonable good guys, bravely sacrificing to fight evil insane terrorists abroad.

Just those pesky facts have to be kept out of sight. Like the Freedom we are all supposed to protect- by swearing allegiance to millionaire liars, in the name of our hijacked flag. Like the fact that our military is gargantuan- while children get less education, rights, democratic voices, health care, opportunities, and a decrease in quality of life. We are merely the insulated elite's serving class.

The entire American political system- our oligarchic duopoly- is an exercise in controlled opposition and media spin. Ex-politicians skilled in manipulating the public even give high-paid speeches on the topic to banks and corporations eager to mimic their successes. Often they are hired directly as lobbyists, and become board members eventually... then back in office. That's career politics.

This formula has become so entrenched, so pervasive, that this elitist political class genuinely finds the masses' affinity toward ethics and justice unrealistic to the point of scoffing at our 'childish naiveté.' Those very principles we are supposedly killing strangers to protect cannot actually be practiced by the ones giving the orders. America has become deluded under sponsored hypocrisy.

So when a rare politician comes along, actually embodying the passions and goals of the populace, the establishment powers can be forced to tip their hand. There becomes a noticeable divide between the ruling and lower classes, normally being hidden by the apathy of universal dislike. A threat to this corporate empire, it becomes worth any risk to ensure such people are destroyed or usurped.

Which brings us to this most recent example, their "forget that your own emperors has no clothes- your REAL enemy is still in another country" bullshit of Russian 'hacking' and collusion. No evidence, no recognition of known facts, just raving accusations attempting to derail justifiable revolutionary outrage with scripted rhetoric. Rigging the election IS defensible- once everyone's doing it.

The often-used other tool of tyranny is normalization. The fact that discussions about government corruption and voting irregularities are often met with a "yeah everyone knows that" attitude shows how it can occur so blatantly. We have grown comfortable with complete dysfunction as long as it doesn't personally affect us in petty, trivial ways; technology vastly improved "bread and circuses".

This government and both parties would rather be arguing indefinitely about some Russian conspiracy- a classically cast villain, paired quite easily with the new scarily unprofitable specters of Socialism- than face the actual realites which would end them. "Evidence" can keep being spun to pull attentions from the increasingly obvious: that our leaders are liars, criminals, and traitors to humanity.

Escaping this trap is simple. When we value integrity, transparency, and genuine accountability more than undeserved titles of offices or the hoarding of wealth, then we've got the right idea. When we act intelligently and purposefully to get all those principles empowered on every possible level, we start changing things. No single action will end our normalized domestic terrorism- it takes us all.

It will be long. It will be messy. And no hero will do it for us. Accountability isn't found through a magical piece of leftist legislation, but by mass refusals to sit down and be quiet. Make a scene, make it public, and expose all political con artists virally every time they refuse to uphold their oaths. Our power isn't purchased, but lies in numbers and nobility. Let us remind them who serves whom.