Yes. And it's gone far past the 'Oh, nobody would do that', or 'They wouldn't dare' or 'I just can't believe' or the worst, 'This could never happen in America, we're different.'

wow. sounds like EF and bobo...

In order that the government be voted out of power, the opposition must first organize. Interception and disruption of communications have been major weapons of warfare for untold centuries. We the people of the United States of America are having war waged against us by our own government.

I would add their minions, both workers and volunteers. The 'true' believers.

I think you might be a little disingenuous here.

Yes, I believe they at least have been on the site.

What I watch for is repetitive replies and replies that press a point indicating that they haven't even read the previous comment. I've encountered them on other sites and seen them change their post names and repost almost immediately after having been kicked off a site with nearly identical comments and replies.

One can only assume in this medium, right? I've seen a few posters there who only post on one topic, post all day (maybe a hundred posts in a day), then post on no other topics. They seem to be paid shills. In our town of Sacramento I've seen paid protesters too. Same M.O. - uneducated loudmouths paid a stipend to show up and cause a stir, only to vanish for months. I've spoken to some of those. Interesting folks, usually dirt poor. Saw some paid protesters at a public townhall meeting a few years ago. They walked in together, four of them, seperated to disperse themselves throughout the audience then shouted at members of the public who tried to speak. At lunch they huddled together again to discuss where to have lunch. They were wearing disco-like clothes that appeared to be from a thrift store. Hard to explain...but kind of funny.

I've seen them in our local newspaper comments sections. One, if I remember correctly, goes by "nerdywhiteguy".

How do you know? What gives them away? Do you think they are on this site?

“Whenever the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people.” John Locke

I do not even think its an unseen few. The few with the control are largely out in the open now. Who those few are is changing as they have there own power struggles, live and die.

Those at the top are the ones most willing to do anything to keep the free stuff flowing at any cost. There have always and will always be those few that are willing to do so.

So long as good men live there lives and do nothing to stop those few, the few will take more and more power until the good men and women decide they have had enough and rebel in whatever way they need to.

Perhaps the time is coming that article 5 of the constitution will be invoked, and most likely be followed by a civil war that would engulf the world. This can only happen if a handful of good men and women start it by risking everything they have and are. They must have the skill and aptitude to win or things will only get worse.

Well said, but I don't think it will stop with the hopeful future removal of this administration. It's all about control in the unseen hands of a few.

Because they don't want these freedoms to continue. Except for themselves. It's a very systematic method for causing people to not speak up against an overreaching government. Fear is being instilled, because each time someone does, they get vilified, abused by agencies which wield Gestapo like methods to silence them. We are doomed unless this usurper in the White House and his cronies get thrown in jail or put before a firing squad.