Just one suggestion concerning the idea that the level of antipathy towards the government is rising. If true, it may not be that the government is more innefficient and corrupt than ever. (Rather it is likely that the opposite is true). More likely, this is a result of the increasing presence of the government in the lives of the people. Because of this, corruption and innefficiency that were always present matter alot more, and cause alot more resentment.
i don’t know about chic but the gov makes a good target for the release of vague frustration. the book:
CLASS WAR IN AMERICA by Charles Kelly
talks about the conservative propaganda to discredit government since Reagan ran for president.
television has changed how this country works in how people get information and can be influenced (brainwashed?) and made politics expensive and politicians vulnerable to the wealthy. the media is peculiar in what it doesn’t say sometimes. back in the days of the Strategic Defense Initiative (star wars) the showed a satellite firing a laser, the beam bounces off a mirror on another satellite then hits the russian missle and destroys it. ever seen a car with a chrome bumper? why couldn’t the russians make the surface of the missle reflective? the beam bounced off the mirror. the people in the media never thought of pointing this out? is the media in bed with the government? am i being CHIC?
Dal Timgar