Throughout history, philosophers have developed a number of political concepts to ensure the proper functioning of a free and prosperous society. One of the most important ideas that has been expounded upon by the great thinkers of the past and the present is the concept of the rule of law. The idea of the law being the ruler has promoted freedom throughout the world and reduced the amount of arbitrary power wielded by the government over its citizens. The idea also prevents the distortion of justice for political ends and establishes the supremacy of the rights of the people.
The concept of the rule of law has been fundamental in establishing traditional American ideals and freedoms. Thomas Paine, the author of Common Sense, wrote, “Let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter; let it be brought forth so the world may know, that so far we approve of monarchy, that in America the law is king. For as in absolute governments the king is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king; and there ought to be no other.” This idea helped set a precedent for the Revolutionary War and caused the colonists to fight for the ideals of freedom which have characterized America ever since.
The Founding Fathers were also extremely keen on establishing the rule of law in American society. This is one of the reasons why they were so concerned with the separation of powers. They wanted to ensure that no single branch of government could wield arbitrary power over the people and become a tyrannical entity. This desire to promote the rule of law birthed two of the most significant creations in American history; the Constitution and the Supreme Court. The Constitution enshrined the rights of the people in American society. Additionally, the Supreme Court was given the important task of judicial review. They determine whether or not the actions of the legislature or the executive branch are Constitutional, thereby protecting the rights of the citizens to be free from tyrannical government.
However, both of these institutions have come under attack from the Democratic party. Democrats are actively lobbying in favor of packing the Supreme Court. Additionally, they advocate for a non-originalist interpretation of the Constitution which allows activist judges to cater to the popular whims of society and disregard the rights of the people, that are enumerated in the Constitution.
This should be concerning, whether or not you consider yourself to be a conservative or a liberal. The rule of law ensures that both of these groups are unable to infringe upon the rights of the other. It sets a limit on government power so that if tyrannical forces take over, they will be unable to wield their influence for malicious gain.
The Democratic party takes for granted that they will always be the ones who control the government, otherwise they would not advocate for giving it more power. They also take for granted that their schemes to infringe upon individual liberty will always yield beneficial results. A destruction of the rule of law would allow individuals who presuppose their intellectual superiority to impose their views upon society without any restraints.
Those who contend that the government won’t abuse its power forget the lessons learned in the French Revolution of 1789. The National Assembly in that country was elected through democratic institutions. However, because there was no check on its power, the Assembly was able to create the Committee on Public Safety which usurped tyrannical powers and executed thousands of political opponents. I would urge those who feel that progress has moved us beyond this point to recall the recent riots in the streets and the destruction of cities, resulting from popular discontent. The checks upon the powers of government will always be necessary. Those who seek to obtain more power are a danger to ourselves and to posterity.
I like your common sense rational that should be common sense to anyone with an eighth grade education!