According to the U.S. Declaration of Independence, what must a government have?

When the government is unaccountable to the voters, it lacks their consent. The consent of the governed is the linchpin and bedrock of popular government in America. This is part of a philosophy of government that justifies revolution when government harms natural and legal rights of the people.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the government must also have a mechanism for receiving complaints and grievances from the public. Government can not function properly or justly without having this mechanism.

Under an unitary theory, the U.S. president is constitutionally, legally, morally and ethically free to direct any person in the executive branch as to how he wants that person to perform his or her job. And the recipient of such direction is free to resign if the direction appears unlawful. That is at least the theory of the unitary executive. Is this theory also in keeping with the believe in the U.S. Declaration of Independence that government must be accountable to the people? It appears that most Americans agree that the answer to the above question is yes.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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14 Comments

Tom Seigo

There is no way to avoid mentioning the state of our nation in today's political climate! Unless we citizens stand in unison and demand that the politicians of both parties start listening to us, their constituents and fulfill their oaths of office in favor of the country over their personal agendas, we will surely face at least, a nation lacking true freedoms!

EarindilAO

Unfortunately, this is not the case in modern times... sadly, this "Social Experiment" as it was called in the beginning, is becoming more deranged and we may be heading into a stage of "Socialism"... this is a "Government by the Politicians for the Politicians", not "By the people for the people"...

Chris Hall

There is no way to determine if they have our consent. It also doesn't seem to matter if they don't.

Lisa Rodrigues

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Chris Hall

Without law we are nothing...

Joanne Serin

How timely! There are so many recent activities that do not have consent of the governed. While I think Representative AOC is often extreme, her comments on last night's Stephen Colbert about government "overreaching" is spot on.

crdemarti

Well, that's a joke these days, isn’t it? All the governed populace has these days are empty pockets and bank accounts as the politicians get richer and fatter on our bill. Doesn’t matter which party is “ governing “ , the results are the same.

marilynmitri

No one is above the law. No one.

Char

Jayne Legendre, me too or three or four things some days. Or new little tidbits about old subjects. Or even sometimes realize that you might be smart and still get something wrong for years like faculty. Yes I did that lol

Char

EarindilAO, I totally disagree with you as I see it you have it in reverse.. taking care of the rich politicians and the elite with rich elite Social Welfare us not how this country was meant to be. That's the Socialism due to your capitalism we have. We the little people do the dirty work for unlivable wages still have to pay taxes..on top they are trying to take away our personal freedoms. Our bodies, our genders, who we live if rightful age, and the right to get food and water inline voting. That's more like Hitler's Germany or Putins Russia and Kins NK. Our Revolution was fought to get us out from under King George not to switch to the same system In our new land America. For, of and by the people is nothing in those dictatorship countries they just live off the people like the right is currently trying to do..

cjsrobertson

Excellent question!!!

Marianne Frederick Halterman

Tom Seigo, you are so correct! And once a nation loses it's freedoms, they are gone--Freedom should be defended every day... we are definitely in a crisis situation~!