We've come a long way since 1776.
Despite this, these days, the federal government is a bloated whale of bureaucratic nightmares. Even worse, there's plenty of evidence that its powers have expanded to let it overreach in too many places.
Let’s go over the telltale signs of an overreaching government, so you can be ready if things escalate...
Citizen Surveillance
Perhaps the most obvious sign of an overreaching government is the surveillance of its citizens.
This has been in effect for decades, but it got worse after 9/11, when President George W. Bush signed the Patriot Act. This allowed for surveillance of American citizens through phones and Internet communication.
While Bush started the Act, President Barack Obama continued the trend and expanded the powers of the Act during his administration. Over time, whistle-blowers like Snowden have tried to show the American people just how much of their data is being collected and reviewed in the name of “security”.
Some people may ask, “Why worry if you have nothing to hide?”
But, that really isn’t the point.
In our opinion, this injustice is the most egregious and the longest-lasting of them all so far.
Media Control
You can also see signs of an overreaching government through media control. Consider the contrasting statements that the federal government and health organizations have had regarding COVID-19.
In the beginning, masks were useless – now they're vital. While it's true that masks can help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the message has felt wishy-washy and unclear because there's only been one organization at the head of the media: the federal government.
The fact that the federal government largely controls what and when information is broadcast to the American public is a terrible sign of overreaching.
It’s true that the government does need to keep some things in secret due to national security, or in times of war. But matters of public health should not be dictated whimsically by insecure government officials.
Unidentified Law Enforcement Operations
Think that an overreaching government is exclusive to either conservatives or liberals? Think again. Both parties have had presidents that historically abused their powers.
Just as President Obama expanded the powers of the Patriot Act and made surveillance even worse, President Trump has presided over unidentified law enforcement personnel arresting protesters in many American cities.
The fact that unmarked vans drove throughout cities like Portland and dragged people to jail should terrify liberty-minded citizens everywhere.
So, do we have an overreaching government? Definitely, in our eyes. But it's not all lost, and we aren't quite in dictator territory just yet. Still, anyone committed to retaining their freedom should keep an eye on things as they develop and, in the worst-case scenario, prepare to fight if the government tries to overreach further. The COVID-19 epidemic is the perfect opportunity.
Thank you for reading,
Justin
Author
