Other than vote, what can the average person do to push back against what seems like a perpetual erosion of personal privacy. I know “literally 1984” is a meme, but it does feel like there are people in positions of power who would be ok with some of the big-brother policies. It is an awful feeling to feel helpless. Even if we do keep sliding deeper into the hole I’d like to go knowing I’d done everything I could to try and help.
You could be specific about the laws and practices that you do not like.
For example, the ACLU is taking Arizona to court to stop warrantless invasion of DNA.
Surely you accept that some goverment surveilance stops some "bad actors".
So, identify that which you don't like, and talk about it. The sense of hopelessness and statement that you are "sliding deeper into the hole" is not helpful to you or others.
Be positive, do good things and make others aware about specific issues. Offer alternatives and be constructive.
There is nothing that the executive branch should be able to do, that anyone else shouldn't be able to do under the exact same terms.
The executive branch can set up police forces that can bring forward criminal charges and enforce the law? So should anyone else be able to do the same under the exact same terms.
Perhaps when private police forces are arresting legislators for violating laws, under the same terms as state police arrests random citizens the legislators will be incentivised to reduce and disempower laws to the extent those laws are actually necessary and good, rather than over criminalizing everything and letting the executive branch pick and choose who to enforce them against
