Duty and the Rule of Law

What is the duty of citizens to preserve the Rule of Law?

An unprecedented complaint signed by 47 of 73 federal Inspectors General (IGs) was filed recently. The complaint describes the “serious limitations” being put on their activities by the Obama administration.

These watchdogs for the citizenry are being stonewalled. Read here about the issue.

This incident should be a red flag for any American who cares about the future of our nation. Citizens need to pay close attention to this complaint, regardless of their political agendas.

Government cannot police itself. No organization can. That’s why we have outside auditors. It’s why companies have boards with outside directors. It’s why our government has three branches, with limited, separate powers.

In our constitutional system, The People rule. It is our duty to pay attention, to notice misbehavior, and take appropriate action. The Inspectors General are our watchdogs. To stonewall the IG’s office is to blind the citizens to our own government.

Elections have consequences, but are not the most important thing. The most important thing is the consent of the governed. It is the confidence we have that election results will be honored. It is the obedience we give, even to laws we oppose, because they emerged from a process we believe in. Elections come and go, but if we lose the consent of the governed, elections become meaningless, obedience to law evaporates, and civil society becomes impossible.

Allowing corruption in government by crippling its watchdogs is a fast way to undermine trust and destroy that consent.

We do not properly appreciate how rare and precious peaceful transitions of power are. Look around the world. See Afghanistan, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Libya, Syria, and many other places. Throughout history power has been the only rule. We are the exception, because we have the Rule of Law. We have process, as written in our constitution. If we do not understand, support and defend our Rule of Law - our constitution - we will lose it, and power will rule again.

That is a road we dare not take.