It is in this sense that Modern American Conservatism is conservative to Americans: The tenants of the nation was that governments exist by consent of the govern, individualism, and that local governments should have more power to interfere with individuals than state governments, which should have more power than the national government (Jeffersonian Democracy). (politics.stackexchange.com)
If the success of a representative democracy hinges on the informed consent of the governed, it is critical that the public know as much as possible about the information used and the processes by which its representatives spend tax dollars and act on policy recommendations. (wamc.org)