Thought for today

ziggy wrote:

Cato wrote:

ziggy wrote:Or another way to look at it is that the Founders penned the words that tell us what the Constitution says. And those same Founders recognized the judiciary system branch of government to tell us, when questions about the law and of the Constitution arise, what it means.

Which depending on the agenda of the ruling party att he time the justices were appoint could mean anything.

And don't you think the founders thought of that as a likely human trait?

There are no perfect governments because there are no perfect people.

That's true there is no perfect govenment. However, that doesn't mean we allow the unscruplous idiots to pervert the US Constitution to make it way what they want it to say, which is by the way exactly what you are doing.

I once heard Anton Scalia speak regarding the US Constitution and how it had been so misused by both sides of the isle. Justice Scalia and Thomas are originalists. They take the correct view that the US Constitution is a legal document and it has exactly the same meaning now as it did when ratified, unless modified by amendment.

Let's look at Article 1, Section 8 for a second. As Aaron has pointed out to you it says certain things. It gives a list of the items the congress can do. Many, including you go tot he Preamble which uses the words "Promote the General Welfare" as the authority for the Federal Government to do as they please, in other words to create all these departments, tax the living snot out of some people, and general be an influance in nearly every fascet of the publics existance. The fact is Article 1 section 8 as well as the articles dealing witht he duties of the Executive and Judicial Branchs are how the Federal Government are to Promote the General Welfare.

Article 1 Section 8 gives a list. It enumerates the authority of the legislative branch of govenrment and really for all practical purposes the limits scope of the federal government as a whole. The listing of the duties and authority of Congress in Article 1, Section 8 limits congresses authority to the list. The Law of Exclusion applies and if somethign is not listed it is not allowed.

What we have is what the founders intended. Yes, they were aware the Constitution would ahve to be modified from time to time. They provided a legal way to accomplish that by amending the Constitution as provided iwthin the document itself. To either ignore the constitution as some many presidents and congresses have or appoint justices that will legislate from the bench is nothign short of both ignorance and tyranny.

Very well said, Cato. I don't think those who view the Constitution as a "living document" really understand where that rationale could take them. Remember that Stalin's constitution also had "freedom of speech." It, too, was apparently a "living document."

But the thing is Stephanie; the government didn't create these programs on their own free will. Every program you mentioned was not the result of government intervention but was fought for by unions; in many cases with the blood of the men doing the fighting and that is why we have 40 hour work weeks, safe work places and fair wage labor laws.

Contrary to what you say, the government lifted no one out of poverty. That was done by unions and working men and women.

Not true.

The REA came about because it wasn't cost effective for private companies to bring electricity to rural areas.

It had nothing to do with blood or unions and helped greatly to reduce poverty and raise the standard of living for MOST OF THE LAND AREA OF THE COUNTRY.