My statement was a bit to hasty, I admit that. Resting control of your rights back from the government in the US is probably fraught with a lot less peril than doing so in Russia (i.e. Pussy Riot).

As a US citizen, I am dismayed at the situation, and like other posters here, my sentiment towards government has shifted greatly over the last six months. As a US citizen, I don't know what the solution is other than radical transparency in government and citizens as a whole having violent disdain for apathy in the political process.