How Bad is a "Constitutional America"? By Jeff Jackson (11/30/04)

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Some time ago, a confused left winger actually made a statement to me that he would not want to live in a “constitutional America” or an America where we actually held government to its appointed roles. Now, to sensible people the comments of this follower of Marx and his economic principles are completely absurd. But to left wingers, shredding the words and meaning of the Constitution is what they are all about so it is only reasonable that they would not want to live in and America bound by what they consider an antiquated and flawed document.

The entire Constitution is an affront to those on the left. It is a document that puts forth a rigid form of central government with incredibly minute powers while reserving all powers not specifically granted to the federal government to the states and the people (see Amendment X). Beyond that it further states just because the Constitution doesn’t specifically grant you a right it doesn’t mean that you don’t have it (see Amendment IX).

Those two sections there are enough to cause most liberals to squirm and cower like a vampire from garlic. Alone those two sections of the Constitution decrease the power of the federal government so far, that no self respecting Marxist would ever willingly accept them. But when you look at the rest of the Constitution and all the other sections that enhance and promote liberty and shackle government intrusion if they were actually followed it is a wonder how those on the left can keep their “intellectual” skulls from popping.

Even a brief look at the Constitution tells us why liberals hate the thought of a “constitutional America”.

“All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.”

Now we cannot have that! Only elected representatives of the people have the right to make laws that will govern them? How utterly droll! Entrusting the people to govern themselves? Don’t make liberals laugh! From the very start, a “constitutional America” goes against the feelings of the intellectual elites who time and again believe that you should entrust the government to them. Why, how dare we not be able to bring lawsuits against you in a court of law and have the Judge legislate from the bench! After all, we are all just a bunch of backwards hicks who would not know the first thing about what is best for us.

But wait, what about Article I, 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”

“OH GLORY!” shout the leftists! At least the government is granted the right to tax the incompetent masses! And they say “Heck, ‘general Welfare’ can mean ANYTHING! WOOOOHOOOOOO!”

And that is where they want you to stop reading THAT section instead of going on and seeing that the “common Defense” and the “general Welfare” are defined clearly as:

“To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;”

Ok…borrowing money is good…after all liberals need to pay for everything they want to do.

“To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;”

Right, right, the power to regulate commerce is good…after all liberals need to be able to control the economy.

“To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;” and “To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;”

Still ok for liberals. After all, it lets them determine who can come here and to manipulate the economy.

“To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;”

Hmmmm…Not so good. Punish people for standing up against government and printing their own money? Liberals can’t have that! Surely the crime was someone else’s fault rather than the one that committed it.

“To establish Post Offices and post Roads;”

Ok, liberals are appeased with this one…more control for them.

“To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;”

Again, more control for the liberals…ok they can handle that.

“To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;”

Hmmm…give liberals the ability to try people for “crimes”. Ok…but we’ll have to work on that part about it being inferior to the supreme Court. At least until liberals can stack the court with sympathetic justices that is.

“To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;”

Yes, yes, more power to punish people for crimes…liberals love that.

“To declare War, grant Letters of Marquee and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;” and “To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;” and “To provide and maintain a Navy;” and “To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;” and “To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;”

Declare war? Raise armies? No, no, no! Liberals don’t believe in war…except when they are in power. So we may have problems here.

“To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;”

Again, liberals don’t believe in war…unless they are in power and a disciplined militia of the people is a threat to them. So absolutely not!

“To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;” and “To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.”

Ooooooooo…more power to regulate. Liberals cry “ME LIKE! ME LIKE!”

But … wait … where is the clause that allows them to provide Social Security? Medicare? Medicaid? Food Stamps? Government research grants? Federal student loans? Where is the section that lets the intellectual elites tell you how to use your land to “protect” the hairy chested nut scratcher? Or confiscate you land to build high rent housing and get more tax revenue?

No, no, no, this is woefully incomplete in the minds of left wing intellectuals. A “constitutional America” is definitely falling far short of where the liberals believe that it needs to be.

“No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.”

Oh me oh my! Liberals hate this one! How dare they not be allowed to make up a law after the fact and try citizens for it!

“No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.”

Oh DEAR! Equally hideous! How dare left wingers not be allowed to simply take money whenever they want it!

And the worst part of all is the statement recognizing God that concludes the non-amended and original Constitution: “Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names”

OH HAVE MERCY ON THE SOULS OF LIBERALS! The mere mention of “our Lord” will surely cause their eyes to be blinded and their ears to go deaf!

Wow, no wonder Liberals dislike the idea of a “constitutional America” so much. No wonder why they stress and groan about living under such a concept. At that is just looking at the most obvious parts of Article I! Can you imaging what happens when they get to parts like the Bill of Rights?

Rights? No, you have no rights except those that the liberals should decide you have. And those rights should be able to be changed at any time and applied how they see fit. Applying them equally to all is simply unheard of! After all, if EVERYONE is equal in terms of their rights how can liberals reward those that serve them faithfully?

No, we cannot have a “constitutional America”. That simply does not mesh with the vision liberals have of the way things ought to be no matter how misguided and ill informed their opinions are.

So what is actually bad about a “constitutional America”? Nothing. Except that liberals can’t control you and me when the Constitution is lived by and upheld.

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