The Constitution of the United States opens with the bold and unique assertion, “We The People.” In that simple yet incredible declaration is the revolutionary foundation of American self-governance. Our Constitutional Republic was created by the citizens; therefore, the source of all power resides solely with the people. That means any government must have the explicit consent of the governed to hold and wield any authority, so it should be obvious that what the American people think and want should be of the utmost importance to anyone seeking our consent to govern us. But apparently not to the extreme leftists in power.

With the 2022 midterm elections just a short year away and primaries soon upon us, Democrats seem apathetic or oblivious to the palpable voter rage boiling over on almost every issue. Voters are infuriated over a variety of Democrat policies, but Biden, Schumer, Pelosi et al will not back down. In fact, they double down as if they are daring Americans to dissent. Are they deliberately provoking us or do they just not care what we think? Perhaps, it’s both.

It really starts with a fundamental lack of respect for the American people. Actually, it’s more of a simple disrespect and even elite disdain for common folks. Despite myriad mask mandates, celebrities and politicians have routinely ignored and excused their non-compliance. Joe Biden himself committed the most recent blatant infraction when he appeared mask-less exiting a restaurant despite the citywide order in Washington. When the cameras are on, Biden approaches every microphone with a mask, but that’s just a charade. Integrity is doing the right think when no one is looking, but even when Democrats get caught, they don’t care.

Congress has been hotly debating an infrastructure bill supposedly focused on transportation for months and the country has suffered various shortages due to supply chain disruptions. During this time, few noticed that Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, was missing in action until this past week when it became known he was on two months paternity leave. Never mind how he and his husband became parents. When you aspire to the highest levels of government, you cede much of your personal life to fulfill your duties. You do not have the luxury of walking away from your responsibilities especially in a crisis. Other than demonstrating he is utterly dispensable, Buttigieg proved he doesn’t care what the public thinks. He was not remorseful for shirking his duties; he was indignant that anyone questioned why he needed 60 days to learn how to warm baby bottles. What if he had become president? Would he tell China to just hold that attack for a couple months?

The border crisis is probably the best example of completely disregarding the wishes of the American people. The overwhelming majority of Americans including Democrats believe the border is out of control and Biden policies are to blame, but the Biden Administration insists the border is closed while we watch thousands stream across the border daily. The government demands Americans must get vaccinated, but illegal immigrants do not need to be vaccinated. Biden and his henchmen brazenly lie to us and the Democrat Media Complex tries to prove their lies. The border lies have incensed Americans, but Biden doesn’t care.

Now the government is telling us we don’t know what is best for our children, but only they do. Concerned parents across the country are rising up against school systems teaching “Critical Race Theory.” Parents do not want their children brainwashed with Marxist ideology and divided with racial hatred, but the elitist snobs in academia and government insist they know better. They even state parents should not have any input in our kids’ education! They not only don’t care what we think, they don’t even want to know what we think. In fact, Attorney General Merrick Garland has declared war on parents. If you try to make your thoughts known, he will come after you as a “domestic terrorist!” That is pure tyranny that we thought could only happen in communist countries. Folks, it’s here and it should scare every American into action!

The elite leftists in government scold us that these are complicated issues that we just don’t understand, so they must take unilateral action to do what they think is best for us despite our ignorance. In other words, they must protect us from ourselves. That idiotic notion essentially turns the American concept of self-governance on its head. Our government derives its authority from the consent of the people, so they government must abide by the wishes of the American people. When We The People disagree, the government must reverse course or be voted out. Now the government is telling us when we disagree, we must be censored or now even imprisoned.

Our government is completely disregarding our wishes and now usurping our authority. They are claiming the power to rule based on what they think and what We The People think be damned. Thomas Jefferson summed it up best: "When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny."

“Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees” (Isaiah 10:1).

Pete Riehm is the host of Common Sense Radio heard 8pm every Thursday on FMTalk106.5 or streaming at fmtalk1065.com. Email him at peteriehm@bellsouth.net or on MEWE @PeteRiehm or read all his columns at http://www.renewamerica.com/.kraien