What They Didn't Teach You in School

In school, you were taught that the Government has three branches: the Legislative branch, the Executive branch, and the Judicial branch. The Legislative branch is the Congress, and they make the laws. The Executive branch is the President, who runs the daily business of government. The Judicial branch consists of the Courts, who interpret the law and determine if laws are constitutional. These are the three branches of government you were taught in the government-controlled schools. But there is a fourth branch of government, and that is the People.

People before Lawyers
Some would argue that the People are not a branch of Government. They would argue that we have a government that is of the People, by the People, and for the People. They would argue that, through voting, the Government represents the People and the Government is the People. In theory, and in an ideal world, this would be true. And for the most part it is true. But there are times when the Government does not represent the People and the interests of the Government are not the interests of the People. There are times when the People have to assert their will directly and overrule the Government and assert the supremacy of the will of the People over the will of the Government.

The Government Exists for the Sole Purpose of
Serving the People, not Ruling the People
The supremacy of the People is preserved throughout all the documents and papers used in the formation of the Government by the People. The preamble to the United States Constitution states that We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Clearly, the Constitution was created to form a government whose sole purpose was to serve the People and for no other purpose. The founding fathers went to great pains to ensure, through the separation of powers and the balance of power that no branch of government would ever become dominate and become a force that rules the People rather than serves the People.

The History of Democracy
America was originally a colony of England, which was a monarchy controlled by the King. Although England is still a monarchy technically, the Queen is little more than a tourist attraction and serves merely to feed the tabloid press industry. But 250 years ago, the King was very powerful and America was settled by people who were trying to put distance between themselves and the King and his Church of England. America was settled by people who were seeking Liberty and Freedom. We became a People, and we resented being subservient to the Government and the King. We dreamed of an America where the People were the King.

On July 4th, 1776, the Second Continental Congress, representing the 13 states, unanimously issued the Declaration of Independence. This document was the official notice given to the King of England that the 13 states were separating themselves from the Crown in order to form a government of the People. The Declaration of Independence is an important document and in many ways is as important as the Constitution. The Constitution is the document that establishes a government of the People, by the People, and for the People. The Declaration of Independence is the document that establishes the supremacy of the People over the Government and establishes the Right and the Duty of the People to throw off such Government and to provide new Guards for their future Security.