They know that “us” being mostly civil would need to be pushed too hard and too fast to stir up the fervor required to depose them and remove their power. They prefer a slow boil, chip away at individualism and replace it with authoritarianism.

When they do bite more than they can chew, and conservatives take to the streets to demonstrate or take focused aim with the meme cannons, the DC power institutions can quickly and easily malign efforts with potent labeling across the politicians, the news media, and culture/entertainment media.