"Increasingly, I'm finding that the institutional structures (police, administrators, banks, feds, etc) that used to bring fear in our hearts don't have any hold over us. Afterall, the police, our elected officials, corporations are just people. Just people, not too unlike us."

With the police it may not be so noticable, as the chief is selected by the council, but with the Sheriff, whom one elects directly, the people who much sway...

...The people who complain the loudest are the ones in the minority who are flabbergasted that the majority didn't vote as they should have... ;)