I think it also means those officials must obey the same laws as the ordinary people. What worries me is that I see signs in our country that both the democRAT and Republican party leadership are willing to turn a blind eye to violations of the law by elected and party officials. Otherwise, why are the Republicans ignoring the many crimes committed by the democRATS the last 9 years?
Market economies work best -- human nature and all that
True, but a disquieting trend is that both parties now seem to support larger and larger government ... which for the most part means more interference with market processes. And larger government demands more taxes and the tax code inherently interferes with market processes too.
Last but not least, free elections, and a free press.
Again, clouds on the horizon. We've seen signs in the last several elections of massive voter fraud (Florida) and election tampering (for example, the infusion of large quantities of illegal foreign money). And anyone who thinks our mainstream press is doing its job of presenting all the facts so we can make responsible decisions and draw valid conclusions, is dreaming. The only bright note is the arrival of the internet and (to some degree) FoxNews.