Many complain about an overreaching government, but most of these complaints are really about regulation of overreaching corporations who take actions against "the common welfare". But these critics are generally silent when an overreaching government acts against an innocent citizen.
See "Free After 25 Years: A Tale of Murder and Injustice", Wade Goodwyn, NPR Weekend Edition, 2012-04-28. This is a case of a sheriff in Texas deciding that a husband was guilty of murdering his wife and ignoring or hiding all evidence that proved the contrary. Luckily the husband was not executed. But because the real killer was not sought out, the real killer murdered a second man's wife.
Many novelists, like John Lescroart, make a career of writing about false accusations and rushes to judgment on circumstantial evidence. We can't draw conclusions from novels about frequency of false accusations in real life, but it does make one wonder. The above case proves that false accusations exist. The Innocence Project is winning many exonerations. Since 1992 they have exonerated 200 people based on DNA and other evidence that was not presented at a trial. The Innocence Project believes this is just the tip of the iceberg. \
Another abuse is the overreaction to many demonstrations, including pepper-spraying, clubbing, and dragging away. This leads to another kind of abuse, abuse of freedom.
"Congress shall make no law … abridging … the right of the people peaceably to assemble…". Does peaceably assembling include filling a public space so that others cannot move through that space? Does peaceably assembling include camping out? Some respond that they need these demonstrations to have their voices heard. I wonder if these people were in the less than 50 percent who showed up to vote in 2010 or were in the more than 50 percent who didn't show up to vote in 2010.
The First Amendment also includes freedom of speech. Does freedom of speech include buying up large portions of the broadcast spectrum and broadcasting half-truths, innuendo, and lies? Does freedom of speech include using a bullhorn at a demonstration turned up so loud that others cannot even be heard by the person next to them. Or by the whole group shouting so loud that others cannot be heard?
In summary, power is given for authorities to govern, not rule; freedoms are given to put a check on authorities, not to govern by mob rule.
