In the US, the people (OP's words, not mine), actually do control the government. Total take over can be accomplished in six years or less. Shut down can be acc

In the US, the people (OP's words, not mine), actually do control the government. Total take over can be accomplished in six years or less. Shut down can be accomplished in two or less. Yes, the US government has done and probably continues to do very bad stuff. NSA wiretaps are probably one of the least innocuous things it has done. IF the US people actually did want to shut it down and change the behavior of government, they could. I don't think most do (or at least, don't regularly think about it [but may agree if prompted to consider]), know how they could, or know what actual behavior/policy they would replace things with.