240, you mentioned in another thread that is wasn't the governments job to fix the economy, obviously I disagree. This following is well said and hits hard at the heart of the matter.
The U.S. Constitution: Article 1
Article 1 deals with the legislative branch, the senate and the house of representatives. It grants specific powers and clearly states that no other powers belong to the legislative branch. The powers granted: power of impeachment, power to originate tax bills resides wholly in the house, lay and collect taxes, pay debts, borrow money, regulate foreign commerce and commerce between the states, make laws regarding naturalization, bankruptcies, coin money, establish post offices and roads, grant copy rites and patents, appoint lower courts, punish piracy, declare war, raise armies, navies, militias, and legislate over Washington D.C. directly.
No mention of the auto industry, banking industry, stock market, credit cards, schools, railroads, agriculture, small businesses, the environment, health care or a thousand other things that the legislative branch interests itself in these days.
But the Constitution was written so long ago. They could not possible have foreseen the modern day and it's unique problems. Right?
Actually the Constitution was not written to govern things at all. It was meant to govern people. And people are as they ever were. In fact the current president and congress are appallingly like King George and the British parliament. Fatherly figures who know very well what is best for their lowly subjects.
The congress was so very limited in its powers because of the nature of people. Some government was necessary to maintain individual freedom which would be attacked relentlessly if anarchy (truly a Darwinian state of force and power) were the state among a people. But those in the position of governing are human as well and must be controlled if the people do not want tyrants. So the citizen was to be left responsible for his or her own individual welfare and the state was only given enough power to ensure an environment where individuals were free to provide for themselves.
It is very important that government not enter into the role of benevolent provider. The person or persons in control of the means of survival are in control of life itself and hold the greatest possible power over an individual.
Today we have allowed government to control how and when we make an income and they decide how much of it we are allowed to keep. We have a government that controls education (even in large degree private and home schooled kids education is overseen and controlled by government), which is the vehicle which allows a person to be independent both intellectually and financially. We have a government that controls business and trade between individuals, regulating and taxing every transaction and action made by companies and individuals, thereby controlling the means of production, not directly as in communism, but indirectly through socialism and in some cases they have recently crossed the line into fascism.
General Welfare means, very obviously I think, that which is best for the people as a whole, not to provide for them, but merely to allow them to provide for themselves. General welfare should never be construed to mean the welfare of individuals. Social safety nets put in place by government are an evil design intended to legalize theft, create dependence, and consolidate power for the few. Voluntary, truly charitable safety nets can never have those tendencies, because they do not have the power of force behind them.
Any time the legislative branch takes on a new power "for the good of the people" beware. We do not have to be forced to be good or to do good for ourselves. We do not even have to be forced to do good for others. We do those things voluntarily and abundantly. So what are the real motives behind power grabs, if not altruism?
First the government creates a shortage through mismanagement and then jumps quickly to "help" those they've hurt pointing fingers at selfish rich people or polluting greedy corporations or political fanatics. Anyone but themselves. Finally the only real beneficiaries are those in power in government. This is not an insane conspiracy theory, it's been repeated over and over throughout history as though there's a master script being passed around from generation to generation.
The Constitution was written to govern people, not things.
http://proper-role-of-government.blogspot.com/2009/08/us-constitution-article-1.html
