I'm talking about direct, deliberate influence-- outside of voting. Grassroots campaigns that include mostly nonviolent protests, communicating with representatives, etc. The question comes out of the announcement that some organizations are teaming up to [url=https://thedaywefightback.org/]try and stop NSA mass surveillance[/url], mainly by promoting legislation that's been drafted. Today is being called "The Day We Fight Back", and people are being asked to contact their politicians to help push through 2 main bills. [url=http://blog.reddit.com/2014/02/the-day-we-fight-back-against-mass.html]Reddit[/url] adds more information in their blog post about what the NSA is doing and why people should be concerned. The commenters are understandably a little skeptical of the effectiveness of such a movement. So, with regards large federal programs like NSA mass surveillance or nationwide policy, do average Americans have any power at all, or do movements like these have no chance of getting off the ground?