[joesmo]

I don't think you realize the people gave up power generations ago. It doesn't matter what the people want now or even if they want or do not want to give up power. The power was given up to the government when it was formed and forever it will stay there until the government is destroyed by violence. We've seen this over and over again and know this to be the state of things. I don't understand what pretending the people have any power left gets you. The only power the people still seem to have is the power to vote (not very powerful, IMO) and of referendums and other state initiatives. These are the powers that were given to the people in exchange for people giving up the rest of their powers (except as otherwise legislated). If you want to talk about people regaining or not giving up power, you are necessarily talking about violence and rebellion on the scale of a civil war. I don't think anyone wants either of those and even for people that do, it's likely unwise to talk about it on the Internet.

As far as free speech, the original topic of this post, IMO, it doesn't exist when people are afraid to speak out and right now, many people are terrified to silence.