When Did the Rules Change?

At the risk of sounding like a walleyed optimist, I think the rules changed with the advent of the internet. People are much more informed, aware that their convictions are shared be a lot of other people (despite the pablum that the MMM tries to spoon), which results in a better organized opposition to things the American public think is wrong. Such as running up the deficit in tough economic times, or thinking that NASA should be involved in shoring up Middle Eastern egos. Perhaps the internet has given us the window to see that barbarians are at the gates and the leaves are decidedly thinning on the branches.