Look at the actions of elected officials.
They create a separate retirement system for themselves.
They exempt themselves from our socialized medical system.
They have armed guards.
The power is always in the peoples hands?
Yes. Because you have equal ability to participate in the government, and should you choose not to run yourself, you have the power to vote the politicians who support those things in and out of office.
How can anyone say we have the ability to vote anyone out when a candidate can get 112% of the votes in a precint and no one goes to jail. Or when these politicians we suposidly elected fight every attempt to have everyone prove they are who they say they are, before voting.