The thesis also helps me get over the pain mis-estimating of the likely posture of various officials. OTOH, it is normal practice to attempt to calm an animal before sticking the knife in it's jugular. I guess we'll just have to see how things play out.
One optimistic interpretation of the surveillance and anti-insurgency machinery being put into place right now is that it's not aimed at the productive portion of the population but rather is being constructed in anticipation of the apparatchik and welfare hordes going apeshit when the checks stop flowing.
Anyone who's been paying attention realizes those two groups (especially the apparatchik) are insane.
Look at what happened a few years back when a couple state governors suggested that public sector unions take the slightest bit of future concessions with regards to collective bargaining: death threats, strikes, and near riots.
Imagine what they'll do when the "out of business" sign goes up for real.
Incidentally this theory also explains why zombie movies got popular all of a sudden: it's our collective unconscious awareness of this impending scenario.
I think I mentioned it here somewhere not long ago, but...
I think it a pretty decent hypothesis that our leadership will try to play the so-called 'welfare hordes' against the middle class. The riot gear and such will provide a credible deterrent against violent mass movements which will almost certainly crop up when the austerity card is played, and the middle class will be very glad to have the protection. Glad enough to tolerate the raiding of their entitlements and probably even their personal savings.
The welfare hoard class is very little threat, but the middle class has clout and capabilities. The best reason I can see for the extreme interest in 'total information awareness' (populating dossiers on every living being, drawing up social relationship graphs, etc) is that these are the tools needed to nip any resistance from the middle class in the bud.
