This Thanksgiving, the Editorial Board is thankful for the preservation of democratic norms and institutions — and you should be, too.
On Nov. 6, North Carolinians checked and balanced the power of the North Carolina General Assembly. Voters rejected the subtle attack on separation of powers given to us in the form of two shiny, new constitutional amendments.
These amendments would have chipped away at executive power by giving the General Assembly more of a say in filling judicial vacancies and appointing members to the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement. If the amendments had passed, the governor’s choices would have been limited to a small number of candidates put forth by the General Assembly, giving even more influence to a legislature that, relatively speaking, is already too strong.
All five living former governors — three Democrats and two Republicans — publicly campaigned against these amendments. Even former Governor Pat McCrory, who as a lame duck signed very similar bills to limit the power of his successor, joined in.
Ironic, huh?
Luckily, the General Assembly’s attempt to fool voters with ambiguously worded amendments was unsuccessful, and we should collectively relish in their failure. Often taken for granted, separation of powers is a dear friend who protects us from the inherent dangers of unchecked authority.
If we enable the legislature to siphon control of even the smallest of executive responsibilities, we open the door to bigger and worse power grabs that could fundamentally alter the balance of power in the North Carolina government.
Would the General Assembly actually try to constitutionally rewire the government, obliterating checks and balances completely? Who knows. But do we really want to find out?
Democracy, by definition, vests its power in its citizens in hopes of safeguarding against tyranny. Government is meant to be by the people, for the people; it cannot govern without our consent.
