[idle_zealot]

Power is a social construct. Our institutions are being dismantled and collapsing, but they retain a vestige of legitimacy owing to the fact that most Americans haven't experienced much change in their quality of life. Wait until the gas pumps run dry or people start missing meals, and "power" has a way of evaporating pretty quickly.

[mothballed]

That and much worse happened in the ~1675-1775 era of English and chartered company and proprietors lording over the American people, including actions that lead to mass starvation and death. It still took 100 years to totally throw off that yoke, though there were a few failed rebellions (like Bacon's).