Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
The emphasis is mine. Next to defense there is also to provide for the general welfare.
The constitution is clear that it is the duty of the Congress to do what is necessary to provide for the general welfare.
This has been distorted by the left since FDR. You and the left take two words out of the Article and discard the rest. The 17 clauses of Article 1 section 8 define what is "common defense and general welfare of the United States."
Here is what some Founding Fathers thought on the matter:
"Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated." - Thomas Jefferson, 1798
"If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but
an indefinite one, subject to particular exceptions." - James Madison, 1792
"This specification of particulars [the 18 enumerated powers of Article I, Section 8] evidently excludes all pretension to a general legislative authority, because an affirmative grant of special powers would be absurd as well as useless if a general authority was intended." - Alexander Hamilton, Federalist 83
"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents." - James Madison criticizing an attempt to grant public monies for charitable means, 1794
It is not socialism to provide old age pensions and later Social Security. This was voted for by the congress of the United States with the aim of providing for the general welfare of the union.
Social Security has been based on plunder and coercive redistribution of wealth by a centralized govt that controls the economy. The state uses its taxing powers to plunder the income of the young and productive in order to distribute the loot to the elderly... Sounds like socialism to me.
The Congress also spent money on railroads, education, land grants, research, roads, infrastructure and responding to natural disasters. They created the department to do this...FEMA.
Some of this is covered under the 17 clauses of Article 1 section 8. For the rest, what do you expect? The govt. will continue to spend when left unchecked.
Since you are a Christian, and undoubtedly believe that this is a Christian nation, then why should we as a nation sit back and watch untold suffering, homelessness, loss, death, disease and economic stagnation without lifting a finger?
It's ridiculous to think that a nation as powerful as our nation was not able to respond with food, water, shelter and basic necessities for weeks, months after Katrina.
I disagree with you 100% on this. We are the most generous nation on the Earth. We have shown this every time there is a disaster and Katrina was no exception to this.
In the same notion, this Christian nation brought the horror of Shock and Awe to another nation's innocent peoples...all in the wink of an eye.
Where were the cries for those innocent people when they were being slaughtered by a dictator? I am more of an isolationist but I agree with invading Iraq plus Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Mean while, the money that Halliburton over charged the American taxpayer could have brought basic relief to thousands. Where are the Christian corporations? Exxon Mobile made record profits this year. Why are they not giving as much as they can to alleviate this disaster?
Our Republic is based on individual freedoms. These companies are free to do with what they want with THEIR money. Do I agree with their decisions? No, but it would be wrong and immoral to impose my will on others.
The economy of the Gulf coast needs a boost. People don't have any money. But with a little infusion of help, jobs, housing things could be on the mend in less time, and our whole country's economy would be lifted as well. It's truly one of the best investments we can make, and that is fixing a huge hole in our economy in the Gulf Coast and helping our fellow citizens in a time of grave need.
If you want to help then buy products from that area. Invest in a business down there. Give to charities that focus on those locations. Vacation in that region. |
