The methods used by these folks truly have the masses, for the most, clueless and still believing in the system. In reality, all that's happening is reminiscent of Augustus Caesar's methods. He maintained the facade of freedom when he ascended to power, keeping all institutions working; he slowly, however, siphoned off the people's freedoms behind the scenes with his policies. And Caesarism all started under the guise of a populist movement: from Marius to Julius to Augustus.