Do government leaders follow the rule of law in the US and why?

Answer 1

The earlier model of government, prior to the rule of law, was that the authorities (whomever they were, usually kings, emperors, etc.) had power, and they would use that power in whatever manner they saw fit, without restriction. This resulted in many extreme abuses of power. The only law was might makes right. Louis XIV of France famously said "I am the state" (or in the original French, l'etat c'est moi) meaning that the entire nation of France was really about him; no one else mattered except insofar as they served his purposes. This is a kind of inversion of what we would like government to be. Ideally, government should primarily serve the needs of the citizens who are governed, rather than being used only for the advantage of those in power. Otherwise, citizens have no reason to support their government. Government is simply imposed upon them by force, which is tyranny. Governments which are based solely on their ability to kill anyone who opposes them are indistinguishable from large, successful gangs of criminals, as if the Mafia were to rule America.

Laws, therefore, are devised in order to specify exactly what government should be doing, so that it is not left up to government officials to make official decisions based on their own personal wishes. Of course, we still have government officials who violate the law for their own purposes; this is known as corruption. However we do at least have a system in which people can be accused of corruption, and if necessary removed from office. Even a President may be impeached. No one is above the law, and the law therefore serves everyone.

Answer 2

yes