[ahoyhere]

As an American living in Europe, I can tell you your impression is sadly mistaken.

I've never seen so many people exercising their right to free speech as in Vienna and Berlin, for example.

And I used to live 15 minutes from the Capitol Building.

[tjic]

> I used to live 15 minutes from the Capitol Building.

So you lived in the imperial seat in the US, the one are where 75% of people are working for the government (directly or indirectly), and the one place that actually GREW during the current recession ... and you use that background to argue that Americans-as-a-whole are naive and love big intrusive government?

You see the logical flaw here, don't you?

[natrius]

Capitols attract protests. I work two blocks from my state capitol, and I see more protests than I have anywhere else. I doubt the percentage of government employment is as high here, but it's still decently high.

There are more variables involved than you're accounting for. I'd say your logic is more flawed than hers.

[trafficlight]

I also live a few blocks from my state capitol building and I rarely see protests. Maybe one or two a year with 20 or 30 people. It just doesn't happen.

[jacoblyles]

The Tea Parties, Pro-life movements, and anti-war folks regularly marched on the capitol when I lived in DC.

[marr]

Except that state capitols are mostly closer to people than the national capitol. Perhaps the laziness we're talking of has an interstate threshold?