Thinking, dangerous isn't it?

I've been thinking about the current state of politics in the USA lately, that and how intolerant people are nowadays. That in conjunction with me reading a book set during the French Revolution has led me to draw the startling comparisons such as then and now if you say the wrong thing you are labeled as a traitor and unpatriotic, the only difference is that then you'd be jailed/killed, now you've pretty much committed social suicide, you're still alive, but it's almost as if you weren't. How far America, once the shining example of progress and freedom has fallen! But what can we do? All the politicians are corrupt, all the jobs are overseas, everything is out of our hands....or is it? We can become politicians, we can refuse to buy products not made in America, there is so much we can do, but are we willing? No, because that would require to much effort...