Upon reflection we are probably in a budding police state

"...upon reflection we are probably in a budding police state..."

That's preciously simplistic since the country has been taken over by mobs decades ago. :/

A scene I never forgot...

Talking to a cop, 1972, Little Rock. I read the Latin on the shield on his car door: "Populus Regnant... the people rule." (regnat? not as close to my Latin ed ad I was then)

"Is that what it means?" he answered. then said, quietly, introspectively. "Not anymore they don't."