In school you were taught that the Government has three branches, the Legislative branch, the Executive branch, and the Judicial branch. The Legislative branch is the Congress and they make the laws. The Executive branch is the President, who runs the daily business of government. The Judicial branch is the Courts who interpret the law and determine of laws are constitutional. These are the three branches of government you were taught in the government-controlled schools. But there is a fourth branch of government, and that's the People.
Some would argue that the People are not a branch of the Government. They would argue that we have a government that is of the People, by the People, and for the People. They would argue that through voting the Government represents the People and that the Government is the People. In theory, and in an ideal world, this would be true. And for the most part it is true. But there are times when the Government does not represent the People and that the interests of the Government are not the interests of the People. There are times when the People have to assert their will directly and overrule the Government and assert the supremacy of the will of the People over the will of the Government.
The Government Exists for the Sole Purpose of Serving the People, not Ruling the People
The supremacy of the People is preserved throughout all the documents and papers used in the formation of the Government by the People. The preamble to the United States Constitution states, "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." Clearly the Constitution was created to form a government who's sole purpose was to serve the People and for no other purpose. The founding fathers went to great pains to ensure, through the separation of powers and the balance of power, that no branch of government would ever become dominate and become a force that rules the People rather than serves the People.
The History of Democracy
America was originally a colony of England, which was a monarchy controlled by the King. Although England is still a monarchy technically, the Queen is little more than a tourist attraction and serves merely to feed the tabloid press industry. But 250 years ago the King was very powerful and America was settled by people who were trying to put distance between themselves and the King and his Church of England. America was settled by people who were seeking Liberty and Freedom. We became a People and we resented being subservient to the Government and the King and we dreamed of an America where the People were the King.
On July 4th 1776 the Second Continental Congress, representing the 13 states unanimously issued the Declaration of Independence. This document was the official notice given to the King of England that the 13 states were separating themselves from the Crown in order to form a government of the People. The Declaration of Independence is an important document and in many ways is as important as the Constitution. The Constitution is the document that establishes a government of the People by the People, and for the People. The Declaration of Independence is the document that establishes the supremacy of the People over the Government and establishes the Right and the Duty of the People "to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security."
The Declaration of Independence establishes the supremacy of the People and the Right and Duty to defend the Rights of the People over the Acts of the Government.
Our Constitution provides for as many protections as possible to ensure that the Government is subservient to the People and only exists for the purpose of serving the People. However, should these protections fail it is up to the People to rise up against the Government and to put the Government back in it's place. In this capacity, the People act as the fourth branch of government to take control and to override their decisions that violate the Fundamental Rights of the People to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
By what means do the People exercise their authority over the Government? That depends on how resistant the Government is to complying with the Will of the People. In the case of the Declaration of Independence, it meant declaring war on the Government and overthrowing them. This is obviously a last resort after taking other steps less harsh. But the Right and the Duty to overthrow the Government in order to restore the United States as a government to serve the People is clearly established in historical precedent.