The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse. —James Madison, Speech in the Virginia State Convention of 1829-1830

Over the last year, Americans have witnessed deplorable incidents of our government's use and abuse of power, which was also followed by deceit.  The following are a few examples of these incidents:

• Benghazi:  The scrubbing of known, premeditated Muslim attacks and propagating a false story of a country's reaction to a YouTube video.
• The IRS prevented Tea Party and Conservative groups from forming and operating, and the bureaucracy refused to identify the person or people responsible.
• The National Security Agency (NSA) and PRISM have secretly monitored potentially every American's communications.  Consequently, Senator Wyden (D-OR) claims that James Clapper, Chief of Intelligence, wrongly asserted in a Senate hearing that this was not occurring.  
• Pursuant to government demands and reciprocal benefits (government contracts and information), America's biggest technical and communication companies have supplied enormous amounts of information concerning people and commerce in America and throughout the world.  
• Harassment of AP and Fox news reporters

All of these abuses were perpetrated by government bureaucrats, and all were intended to deceive the American people.  Presently, Americans do not know who is ultimately responsible for Benghazi, IRS targeting and harassment of “patriots,” the scope and reach of the NSA and PRISM debacle, and the “deals” between government and mammoth tech and communication firms.  Bureaucrats are protecting the bureaucrats, and America has become ruled by bureaucracy.  

Of course, bureaucrats didn't spontaneously self-create programs and policy.  Elected, Federal politicians empowered bureaucratic functionaries and readily extend and perpetuates their authority. 

Dastardly, Federal politicians savor this scheme of governance.  Politicians pass laws that have little specificity and turn over rule-making and enforcement to bureaucrats.  Hence, politicians gain status and prestige.  Then, bureaucrats make rules and enforce laws.  While politician bask in glory, nameless bureaucrats often regulate and punish with little or no public notice.  then, when scandals become known, bureaucrats protect themselves by silence and obfuscation.  On rare occasions, Congress and the media investigate and after the decision makers are identified, bureaucrats are most often shifted to other positions and agencies.  Finally, when the investigation discovers a potential crime, a bureaucrat invokes the fifth amendment – our right to not incriminate ourselves – and is often placed on administrative leave.

Dangerously, this bureaucratic scheme of governance has eviscerated the intent and purpose of our Constitution.  Recognizing the danger of concentrating power in a few people, America created a republic.  Power was dispersed by numerous and varied structural restraints, checks and balances.  Dangerously, bureaucratic governance has overrode constitutional intentions and restraints.  Our present form of government – rule by bureaucracy - must be dismantled.

Harmfully, ObamaCare is the prime example of rule by bureaucracy, which will be featured in another post.