Behind Closed Doors: When Power Ignores Its Own Rules
Imagine a parent telling their child, “Do your homework, follow the rules, and always tell the truth”—while quietly erasing their own tax debt, lying about their whereabouts, and cutting corners behind the scenes.
That’s not parenting. That’s paternalism. And it’s back—this time from the Supreme Court.
The shadow docket is meant for emergencies, but it’s now a fast-track tool to make major legal decisions quietly. In the most recent example, it cleared the way for the closure of the Department of Education to move forward—without full hearing, debate, or transparency.
This isn’t democracy at work. It’s democracy by design—but only for those who want to write the rules.
Why This Should Alarm You
If Congress created a department to serve the public good, one president should not be able to dismantle it through quiet executive action aided by the Court. Especially not a department responsible for student access, federal aid, civil rights protections, and school standards.
Closing it isn't about efficiency. It’s about control. It's saying: "We decide what education is. You don’t get a say."
The New Paternalism
Meanwhile, students are expected to pay back every loan. Teachers must justify every book. Families are asked to jump through bureaucratic hoops for support. And now—there may soon be no agency tasked with ensuring they even get fair treatment.
This is "Do as I say, not as I do" governance. It’s paternalism cloaked as patriotism. And it isn’t Just What’s Right.
Closing Reflection
We teach our children that trust is earned, transparency and debate matter, and leadership demands accountability.
So why do we accept a government that operates behind closed doors, strips away oversight, and then asks us to trust its judgment?
The shadow docket. The IRS shift. The dismantling of institutions in silence.
It doesn’t matter whether you lean left or right.
Because when Lady Justice removes her blindfold, we don’t just lose impartiality.
We lose trust.
