Duty Honor Country
Active member
There are those who are protesting the current actions of the US government by declaring that the US Constitution has been violated and we should go back to its roots. What if the problem lies within the US Constitution itself? After reading the Antifederalist Papers, a series of essays written in US papers in the 1780's criticizing the adoption of the current US constitution, I maybe starting to believe that US Constitution is the root of the problems seen by those against big government. I have not finished the Antifederalist Papers due to gearing up for a deployment, but feel the need to get the discussion started...so here goes
"The power to borrow money is general and unlimited, and the cause of often before referred to, authorizes the passing of any laws proper and necessary to to carry this into execution. Under this authority, Congress may mortgage any or all revenues of the union, as a fund to loan money upon; it is probable, in this way, they may borrow of foriegn nations, a principle sum, the interest of which will be equal to the annual revenues of the country. By this means, they create a national debt, so large, as to exceed the ability of the country ever to sink." Antifederalist Paper No. 23
'The inference is natural that the legislature will have the authority to make all laws they shall judge necessary for the common safety, and to promote the general welfare. This amounts to a power to make all laws at discretion...It make be said, that this way of explaining the constitution is torturing and making it speak what it never intended." Antifederalist Paper No. 32
"To the question - without force - what can restrain the congress from making such laws as they please? What limits are there to their authority? I fear none at all. For surely it cannot be justly said that they have no power but what is expressly given to them, when by the very terms of their creation they are vested with the power of making laws in all cases - necessary and proper; when from the nature of their power, they must be the judges of what laws are necesssary and proper." Antifederalist Paper No. 46
The first quote could be easily used by those who are against huge government. Our government truely has unlimited power to borrow and do with in any way it feels.
The next 2 quotes deal with Congress' unlimited power. A few radio people have asked what can't the government do under the general welfare and commerce clauses?
I will add more to keep the conversation going.
"The power to borrow money is general and unlimited, and the cause of often before referred to, authorizes the passing of any laws proper and necessary to to carry this into execution. Under this authority, Congress may mortgage any or all revenues of the union, as a fund to loan money upon; it is probable, in this way, they may borrow of foriegn nations, a principle sum, the interest of which will be equal to the annual revenues of the country. By this means, they create a national debt, so large, as to exceed the ability of the country ever to sink." Antifederalist Paper No. 23
'The inference is natural that the legislature will have the authority to make all laws they shall judge necessary for the common safety, and to promote the general welfare. This amounts to a power to make all laws at discretion...It make be said, that this way of explaining the constitution is torturing and making it speak what it never intended." Antifederalist Paper No. 32
"To the question - without force - what can restrain the congress from making such laws as they please? What limits are there to their authority? I fear none at all. For surely it cannot be justly said that they have no power but what is expressly given to them, when by the very terms of their creation they are vested with the power of making laws in all cases - necessary and proper; when from the nature of their power, they must be the judges of what laws are necesssary and proper." Antifederalist Paper No. 46
The first quote could be easily used by those who are against huge government. Our government truely has unlimited power to borrow and do with in any way it feels.
The next 2 quotes deal with Congress' unlimited power. A few radio people have asked what can't the government do under the general welfare and commerce clauses?
I will add more to keep the conversation going.