Giving Citizens The Power To Judge Their Government Directly

It is long past time for citizens to judge the bureaucracy, rather than giving the bureaucracy sole power to judge itself.

David DeMay | November 1, 2026

What if government institutions had to face a jury of ordinary Americans?

I have served on six American juries, involving criminal and civil cases, including federal criminal proceedings. Few experiences have given me a more revealing look at how ordinary people organize themselves to exercise extraordinary authority. Strangers assemble, become acquainted, listen respectfully to one another, exchange ideas, recognize competence, and ultimately accept responsibility for judgments that may profoundly affect other people’s lives.

What impressed me most was not simply the seriousness of the responsibility, but the way these temporary institutions organized themselves. Disagreements were welcomed. Individuals presented their interpretations, and others responded thoughtfully. Credentials initially attracted deference, but demonstrated judgment earned respect. In my experience, leadership emerged only after members had opportunities to assess one another’s reasoning. The selection of a foreperson followed those exchanges rather than preceding them.

Here was an institution that accomplished what so many permanent institutions struggle to achieve. It encouraged cooperation without demanding conformity, recognized leadership without surrendering individual judgment, and maintained a clear sense of purpose without developing an interest in its own perpetuation. Once the jury completed its work, it dissolved.

That experience raises an intriguing question. Americans routinely submit to the judgment of government institutions. Agencies investigate, regulate, evaluate, and penalize citizens and businesses. But what if the arrangement were reversed? What if those institutions themselves had to appear before a jury of ordinary Americans and justify their continued........

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