While I agree with your overall sentiment, I'm also always surprised by the asymmetric expectation between legislation and executive power. If the premise is "let's ensure by democratic means that the laws are such-and-such", why not equally ask for "let's ensure by democratic means that we have a government that we trust"? That is to say, if you expect to have a government that is your adversary and wants to suppress you then how come you are hoping for laws to protect you? The same process that brings those governments into power also creates the laws.
TL;DR: Too much focus on laws, too little focus on trustworthy government?
A govt is just a bunch of people. What makes people trustworty? Whatever floats your boat, pick that. And I really hope that something floats your boat. A free society is based on trust. Without that, all you get is anarchy. And no laws will save you.
no, adhering to a set of laws (such as the constitution) generates trust.
That's what i was trying to get at, rather than any vagueness that is proposed in your comment about 'something floats your boat'.
That's why term limits in constitutions are a must, for example. And rights enshrined in it are immutable and forever.
Of course, you could argue that it's just a piece of paper, and without pre-existing trust, whatever is written there is meaningless. But the bootstrap, and continuation, of this trust, needs to be there, and i argue that it is from this piece of paper that other forms of trust are built.
Then "what floats your boat" is adherence to laws. That's a reasonable take, but other people may value other things.
I'd also say that what the people want should eventually trump any written text. Society changes, the rules that are the foundation need to be able to adapt over time. To me, that serves the people better than adherence to some supposedly forever-immutable scripture which, as a concept, bears too much resemblence to regligious holy text. In my taste.
Government officials tend to rarely be strangers. They are under constant public scrutny (rightfully so) and after a decade or two of having built a track record, everybody voting for someone knows what they will be getting.
TL;DR: Too much focus on laws, too little focus on trustworthy government?