Power Checked

"We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion." - D&C 121:39

It has become apparent that the experiment which was the United States of America has finally failed.  It is a marvel how long it lasted, and the successes it has birthed.  For example, it created an economic boom which has swept the world and brought millions worldwide out of poverty.  It has, to a great extent, allowed millions to live as they choose, to pursue their own dreams and passions with limited intervention, thus promoting great levels of happiness and life satisfaction.  It has been the birthplace of inspiring success stories, heartwarming acts of kindness, and an instructive demonstration of cooperation, acceptance, and unity despite our many differences.

But we have failed to keep the power of our government in check, and it has ballooned to a monstrosity which has attacked and destroyed the core values which our nation was founded on.  It's not really our fault, per se.  The design was faulty, albeit far more perfect than anything the world had seen up to that time and since.  Divinely inspired, the Constitution was created by imperfect men, who compromised away the ability to keep the government from finding loopholes which would allow them to grow their power.

History has demonstrated that rulers, whether they be single individuals or representative groups or classes, will find ways to increase their power, even with the consent of those they govern.  By simply convincing the people that their safety and wellbeing can better be provided by simply forfeiting the rights to provide these things for ourselves to them, rulers can usurp authority over their citizens, and skirt, bypass, or completely overthrow the laws which once held them bound.  Once this authority has been once given, rulers will be more than reluctant to return it, and thus it can only be recaptured by a greater power, or revolution.

We have come to a point where some form of revolution may be necessary if we are to become a free people again, for those with power will continue to take from those who do not have power in order to appease those who keep them in power.  May it be peaceable.

But to reform a nation from the ashes of revolution, we must take extreme care not to repeat the errors which have caused this nation to fall.  We must discover better ways to ensure power is held by and kept with the people, and not with rulers.  Here I present a few recommendations, which will help keep the power checked, and ensure no power is taken from the people.

1. People may become willing and desirous to forfeit their rights protect themselves.  While a military and police force may be advantageous in the collective protection of a nation, their formation and use must be done with extreme caution and care.  Thus a more comprehensive outline of the structure, duties, and compensations of these public servants must be carefully detailed formally within a constitution.  These forces must be limited to the defense of the nation from imminent threats to the lives, liberties, and properties of its citizens.  Anything more than this gives power to them to do unjustly, and may become the source of foreign animosity (for who are we to tell other nations how to live, if we demand that no one else do so to us?).  These duties must be voluntary, and their compensation must be just but far from lavish.  For it shall be the responsibility of the citizens to defend themselves, and not paid mercenaries.
2. People may become willing and desirous to forfeit their rights in exchange for their being provided for.  This must be expressly forbidden.  It will be left to the citizenry to provide for themselves and for their fellow man.  It cannot be left to rulers and bureaucrats to judge who deserves the fruits of another's labor.  This power is far too great, easily exploitable, and is the avenue by which more power is wrought.  Thus it must be denied, even when the people desire it.  Governments may do nothing but provide charitable avenues through which fellow citizens may support each other (but they may not hold monopoly powers to these avenues).
3. Politicians must be further constrained from legislating that which may harm any of their constituency for the benefit of another.  Politicians have found that, if they can take from a minority and give to a majority, they can maintain and grow their power by pleasing enough of their constituency through legislative theft.  This practice must be abolished and prevented.  However, it may be overly restrictive to prevent lawmakers from creating laws which affect the people.  One possible solution is to require that all laws be applied to the legislators equally as it applies to any portion of the citizens if the citizens require it.  A mere 20% of the citizenry must request the application of the law to the lawmakers to require it of him.  Such a provision would require that lawmakers be willing to subject themselves to the consequences of their own laws before forcing them on others.  
4. The powers of the branches of the government must be better delineated.  As it has become now, the 3 branches of government support each other, and the power of government follows the whims of the majority of the people.  Thus any majority may subjugate a minority to their will.  Instead, the powers of the various branches must be better delineated to protect all factions from tyrannical rule of the majority.  For example, the judicial branch should not be appointed by either branch, but qualifying candidates (who pass some test of their understanding of the law) should be elected.  One possible solution, in order to properly represent all factions, voters could get one single vote in an election year, and the top 5 vote getters are elected judges.  Thus the top factions may all be represented.  Similar considerations must be made across all branches, thus no one faction holds too much power over another.
5. Local sovereignty must be restored and better protected.  Localities must have ultimate rights to organize as they wish.  Lincoln's unrighteous forcing of the southern states back unwillingly into the union must never be again permitted.  I propose a new type of federalism in order to protect the rights of individuals who may choose (due to job opportunities, family, or other such ties) to live in a locale where their life preferences differ from those of the majority.  Certain rights, dealing with the locality specifically, may be given to the governing bodies of those localities, which may include infrastructure, use of public land and resources, and other public policies.  Other rights, however, are reserved to the political faction with which they identify, such that each individual may adhere to the guiding principles which he or she believes in.  Taxes, moral rights, and the such should not be universally applied to all, for if we are a land of diverse beliefs, it would be tyrannical to force one to live according to the morals of another, except where the rights of citizens may be infringed.  For example, a liberal in a "red" state may contribute taxes to and gain benefits from her liberal party based on their elected policies.  A conservative in a "blue" state, alternatively, may pay fewer taxes and keep more rights to himself.  The details of such a plan would certainly be complex, and perhaps not feasible, but the idea is certainly intriguing.

We must again restore individual freedom, and let ourselves take care of each other as we ourselves see fit.  While I believe the Constitution was founded on just and holy principles, and spawned a worldwide revolution of democratic rule, it could not prevent its own bastardization and destruction.  We must erect a new one in its place, one which establishes freedom and peace which can endure, and prevent usurping and tyrannical rulers from succeeding in their quest for power and control.