“...They want us to think total government at both ends of the spectrum is the NORM, ...”
I’ll NEVER think that.
They can go F*** themselves.
That’s why I utterly reject the so-called “left-right” spectrum. I embrace the one that runs from TOTAL GOVERNMENT on the left to ZERO GOVERNMENT on the right. And my personal position is less than an inch from the right end. I vastly prefer LIBERTY, with all its dangers to the “peace” of slavery. I would be OK with a complete restoration of our Constitution, as long as certain safeguards were put into it to forever prevent the evils that “Progressivism” has brought upon us, such as fiat money, abortion, same-sex ANYTHING, be it “marriage” or public displays of annoyance or government involvement in ANYTHING that even HINTS at transfers of wealth or welfare at ANY level of government.