“Americans are told to believe government is bad, and yet it’s the only institution that, if they don’t like it, they can do something about it.”

What nonsense. If I'm unhappy with my ISP, insurance company, union, university, church, VFW post, or any other organization, I can present my issue to them personally and have a decent probability of resolution—and should that fail, I can stop associating with the group entirely. If I'm unhappy with government, my individual complaints are ignored and the only way I can stop paying them or following their rules is to move my entire life elsewhere!