The patriot act is a classic example of the erosion of our freedoms. Another example is the use of cameras on streets and by businesses. EVERYONE has one! That's the first thing police look for when an accident or a crime occurs. Cameras don't lie. GOP politicians are obsessed with Crime and Punishment because they want unlimited power to enforce laws and people are often willing to over police abuse liberties in the name of patriotism.

The government can manipulate so many people with fear BECAUSE so many people are self-centered idiots. Manipulating the masses to be apathetic makes them easily controlled.

The question that remains is whether people are self-centered idiots because government run schools deliberately teach them to be that way, or, are people just self-centered idiots?

It's a combination of both. They use fear to erode away rights and indifference too keep those rights eroded. Both parties use fear to push their agendas but as of late the Republicans have been a lot better at it. Fear of terrorism, fear of immigrants, fear of crime, and ironically, fear of having your rights taken away are all being used to 'temporarily' wittle away at everyone's civil liberties and indifference to keep the new restrictions in place indefinitely.

Hell yes! It's true.
They're also encouraging the fear of immigrants. Immigration isn't anywhere near the "crisis" they're making it out to be.

I think it's obvious. Yes.
Fear is a commodity and means of control.

Fear is a method to keep the masses in line or quiescent. The government, corporations, religious groups have always used it as a tool. And again, some people's fear is another positive action.

The "Homeland" act was the Real Beginning of loss of rights.

The U.S. has used the fear of terrorism to mask their true intentions in the Middle East to the U.S. citizenry, and it's been working on most of them. Fear of terrorism drums up much more support for the government's actions than nation building and robbing other countries resources through wars. Also, the closer we get to resource depletion (oil), the more and more the government will put the vice on personal freedoms because there will be civil unrest. Even renewable energy requires some oil. If we don't completely turn around and use completely renewable energy, then we will be doomed in our way of life. Billions of people will die.

How the capitalist ruling class operates:-

1. Invade or bomb foreign nations - for imperialist goals and to justify arms spending and to boost the profits of the arms industry.

2. Poke a stick in a hornets nest - when attacking foreign countries expect retaliation in the form of terrorist attacks. This is all good as it creates an enemy which can then distract from the ruling class's exploitation of its own people. This creates fear which allows governments to introduce draconian laws which impede on everyone's civil rights whilst creating divide and rule tensions. The spotlight is moved away from them and their exploitation of us.

3. If there are no terrorist attacks, stoke anti immigrant sentiment (divide and rule again) which keeps us all fighting amongst ourselves whilst the ruling class continue to screw us over.

4. Secretly use illegal immigrants for cheap labour whilst publicly demonising them. It's a win win situation.

5. If no immigrants are available to exploit, stoke up religious tensions instead (divide and rule again) whilst still enjoying the benefits of a population of theists who complain less and put up with bad wages and working conditions because a better life awaits. Politicians will still endorse a multi faith society for future divide and rule mileage.

6. If all else fails, ingratiate yourself to your public by appearing on chat shows and comedy sketches.

7. Desperate measures - start wars to focus attention away and create an enemy whilst whipping up nationalism and patriotism securing an election win.

I would think that any comments made regarding this would be pure speculation with a huge dose of confirmation bias added for good measure.

We've been eroding freedoms for a long time. Any genuine review of US history, from breaking treaties with Natives under Washington, to expansion of federal/presidential powers under numerous POTUS right up to the recent tax bill...nobody would blindly trust our government

Yes and the need for the military spending

I don’t believe they’re smart enough to do that on purpose. Of course, it just may turn out that way just because the news media and opposition are too preoccupied with the latest tweets to pay attention to the long-term effects of their actions.

People will usually trade freedom for security. This is dangerous and regrettable, but understandable. Freedom does you no good if you are dead.

trump administration is to blame for terrorsim fear

One prime means of creating or maintaining a dictatorship is to keep the citizenry in a state of fear.