[cryoshon]

For now, you're right, but there are consequences for criticizing the government, if you remember Valerie Plame. Additionally, speaking out against the government now tags your dossier with "critical of government policy x" which forwards you to more careful monitoring. For now this is only a chilling effect, but eventually they'll target these people more. Just wait, they can't have a power and not abuse it.

Using your speech is also verboten if you have insider information that you think the public needs to know, as we see from Drake, Binney, Snowden, Manning, and others.

Weak criticism from outsiders is allowed; substantial criticism from people who know what they are talking about isn't given airtime or is criminalized even if they get popular traction. Here, it's more that speaking out doesn't accomplish anything for most people anything rather than speaking out being forbidden.