Michael Farris:
The American political system is based on many important principles and is designed to protect many vital rights. For example, the protection of innocent human life is a paramount obligation of our government. Religious freedom is utterly essential. Freedom of speech and of the press are critical. But none of these principles could be considered the first principle of American government. It was not the violation of these rights that drove the Founders to separate themselves from England, but rather a desire to preserve the right of self-government.

We should never think that the question “Who has the power to make law?” is a dry, academic question. The Founding Fathers fought a war over this question. The familiar phrase no taxation without representation summarizes the Founders’ conviction that no law could be rightfully imposed by an external power: only the people themselves or their elected representatives have the moral authority to make law. More simply, only elected legislatures should be allowed to make law.

Today, our freedoms are being taken from us principally because we’ve allowed various government agencies to violate this fundamental principle.

This week, we’ll take a closer look at this first principle of American government and how it’s suffering in today’s political system. I’m Mike Farris.