No, they're not always insidious, absolutely not. And, you're less likely to find individuals in government who are lethal and maligned, or have a malicious intent. But, government is an institution, and institutions have self-preservation instincts, too. And, those instincts are not always conducive to the true well-being of it's people, it's to the well being of the government itself. And, as far as trusting what they say, or what their PR source called the media says? No, I don't trust them. I have self-preservation instincts, too. Not trusting what they SAY is one of the stronger instincts!