I&#x27;m not describing the ideal, I&#x27;m describing the reality.<p>Digression: my mom loves Hillary Clinton. She&#x27;s an immigrant, consumes very little American media, but she is a staunch Clinton supporter. Clinton recites all the buzzwords she likes: children, education, security. She views politically radical ideas with deep suspicion and views nonconformity as a character flaw. I look at the government we have, and can&#x27;t help but think it&#x27;s exactly what she would do if she were in charge: lots of benefits for retirees, enormous spending on education, vigorous enforcement of drug laws, long punishments for criminals. What exactly would we do differently if my mom were in charge instead of the shadowy cabal of rich people and purchased politicians? Very little.<p>And the fact is, she is in charge. She&#x27;s who votes, without fail, in every election. The government doesn&#x27;t need to keep her in line. The government is what she uses to keep everyone else in line.