We just need good rulers, that is all. We need to keep them in, and keep the bad ones out through any means necessary.
New Kereptica wrote:
1. "Ruler" can only describe the President. You see, there are three different branches of the US government, the legislative branch, made up of Congress, &c. , the executive branch, made up of the President, &c., and the judicial, made up of the Supreme Court, &c.. The Executive branch is aptly named, as it is the one that rules. The legislative branch, on the other hand, represent the people and make laws based upon the will of the people.
2. The rights of assembly and freedom of speech guaranteed in a 1st Amendment to the Constitution guarantee that people can demonstrate their opinions by protesting those events.
I'd consider those that make the law rulers in their own right. Power does not need to be concentrated in one person to make those with power rulers.
With regards to the first amendment with respect to the Sedition Act, Thomas Jefferson himself objected to the Sedition Acts not on First Amendment grounds, but on Tenth Amendment grounds. This is because true free political speech is not harmed when those spreading lies and engaged in thuggish behavior are told to STFU so the adults can talk.