The rule of law requires that when the government affects the citizenry, it must act consistent with a set of preexisting rules put in place by democratically elected bodies accountable to the people. The rule of law also requires a set of institutions, like an independent judiciary, capable of enforcing these rules and making sure they are applied fairly. Rather, in our rule of law society, Congress enacts laws that establish how student loans and Pell grants are going to be calculated.