The necessary and proper clause
(I think don't quote me-)
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The necessary and proper clause
executive privilege
Simple Answer: the US Constitution Long Answer: A whole host of other documents dealing with the structure of government from which the founding fathers constructed their own version. i.e. the Magna Carta, John Locke's works etc.
The phrase is actually 'we the people.' With these words, the United States Constitution established its authority on the basis of popular sovereignty.
Checks and Balances
The basis of the Constitution is sovereign individuals living in sovereign States, with a limited federal government that deals exclusively with states and not with individual citizens. This was clearly expressed in the limited and tightly-defined list of powers and authorities granted to the federal government in the U.S. Constitution.