Well, I'm just tickled pink that you're comfortable with the current astronomical level of power of our central government. I suppose a lot of people are, since they don't have anything particularly uncomfortable happening to them right now, and taxes that would have shocked a medieval serf are painlessly extracted by withholding while they sleep. In April they can dance for joy when a tiny percentage is returned as a "refund." As for a lot of the rest, maybe they're on the receiving end of the goodie stream, and don't see any reason to change things.

I don't know why you enjoy the status quo, and bristle at the thought of backing away from it. I don't know who you are, what you do for a living, where you were educated, or anything else.

As for the Supreme Court decisions you cite as examples of how sometimes the government backs off, I just thank God that the current makeup of the court tends to see things that way. Another set of justices would probably have come to a totally different conclusion. It's worth noting that both cases you refer to were, as far as I know, 5-4 decisions.

This is a pretty feeble base on which to claim we really aren't in trouble after all.

BTW, The movie was "High Plains Drifter," and yes, someone with a big enough gun can make everyone paint their houses red. Or make you put airbags in your car.