BY, OF, FOR

Our founders, having been oppressed by governments over which they had no control, realized that they had to construct a system of government which would never permit anyone to supersede the will of the people.  Their combined wisdom created a document which dispersed power and in which each power source could be restrained by the others.

This new governmental system was created BY the people who would be governed by it.  It further was constructed so that the people who were to govern were OF the governed.  With these two principles in place, it would be most likely to function on behalf of or FOR the people.

This seems like a perfect design.   It is itself perfect but the designers never dreamt that future generations, never having been oppressed themselves, would not actively participate in their self governance.  The assumption that once you have liberty it can't be taken away is incorrect.  Most believe someone is on watch to protect our freedom so they need not be concerned.  They also believe that it would require some monumental event for that to happen.  The truth is that we probably could survive the monumental event, it's the people who are on watch we have to watch.  Incrementalism, you know, the frog in the water thing,, is the thief that will steal your freedom.  It won't be some foreign power. 

The freedom we enjoy is also our worst enemy.  It allows the bad to be as free as the good.  Under this umbrella of freedom, imperceptable nibbles are slowly restricting and destroying freedom.  Our attention should always be on the OF people to insure that they are working FOR the people.