Our elected officials in Washington have a radically different (and wrong and illegal) view of the relationship between the people and the gov't.
They think the gov't is supreme, and all rights, privlidges, etc.... eminate from them.
In reality, "we the people" have supreme authority in this country, and we retain all our Rights (even if a majority votes to surrender them).
Any authority the gov't has is granted by "we the people", and the primary purpose of the government is to protect our Rights.
Have you noticed that Cops are no longer called Peace Officers? They are now Law Enforcement and they call us civilians.
One of my family members just joined the Border Patrol and used the same terminology with me. I corrected her and told her that she was a civilian too, but she insisted that she was not. I guess cops think of themselves above Civilian Law now, but they sure don't fall under the UCMJ.