The One Test

I threw out about half of what I originally believed by asking one question:

Would I still want this rule if the politician I trust least were the one holding it?

Not merely the politician you dislike. Picture the one you actually fear, in office, with this rule in hand.

If the answer is no, the rule is a weapon, and weapons change hands. Run the test on ballot access, immigration categories, emergency borrowing, tax valuation, investment governance, and every enforcement power in this proposal. Good intentions are welcome here. The design cannot depend on them.