On Liberty and Republic

[Ghent12]

Re: On Liberty and Republic

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” --10th Amendment
What powers are delegated to the United States Government? Control and regulation of the economy, interest rates, and money supply? Nope. Energy policy? Nope. Promotion of Business or Agriculture? Nope. Education? Nope. How about national rails, ports, and water ways? Sorry, nope, not even that.

I think he forgot to read the whole Constitution. Control and regulation of the economy is pretty clearly specified in Article I, Section 8, which grants Congress the power "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes."

That Clause has always been understood, among other things, to confer power to regulate national rails, ports, and water ways, too. For example, "The power to regulate commerce comprehends the control for that purpose, and to the extent necessary, of all the navigable waters of the United States.... For this purpose they are the public property of the nation, and subject to all the requisite legislation by Congress." United States v. Rands, 389 U.S. 121 (1967).

Regulate commerce means to make regular. As in, no State may erect barriers to trade among any other State, and so forth. It has nothing to do with controlling the economy except in the traditional role of the Constitution which is to establish a minimum framework of government (control) in order to ensure liberty and prosperity.

The entire point is that the people should be free to engage in regular commerce among and between the States, with foreign nations, and with Indian Tribes, and that is how it is written. Redefining the word 'Regulate' should not change the meaning of the Constitution.

[flintlock]

Re: On Liberty and Republic

Here's the solution:

You take away 80-90% of the pies the Federal government has their fingers in. Let the Federal goverment deal with the Military, Interstate commerce and highways, printing money (the Treasury should be doing this, not the Central Bank), and a few, very few other things.

When you take away 80-90% of the duties the Federal Government has taken upon itself, you also take away 80% of the federal taxes people have to pay. That money instead gets taxed on the State and Local levels.


With local control comes better transparency, more accountability, and much more efficient use of tax dollars.

Exactly. Why some feel a inefficient, bloated, centralized government would do a better job is beyond me. Generally speaking, any operation that has to be run through any government, be it federal, state, or local, loses efficiency. It should be minimized and limited to that which is absolutely necessary, at all levels. The runaway growth of government in the last few decades is nothing more than a power grab. It has nothing to do with helping people, despite the good intentions of many who support it. If the poor couldn't vote or riot they'd be left to rot.

[Chomsky]

Re: On Liberty and Republic

Regulate commerce means to make regular. As in, no State may erect barriers to trade among any other State, and so forth. It has nothing to do with controlling the economy except in the traditional role of the Constitution which is to establish a minimum framework of government (control) in order to ensure liberty and prosperity.

The entire point is that the people should be free to engage in regular commerce among and between the States, with foreign nations, and with Indian Tribes, and that is how it is written. Redefining the word 'Regulate' should not change the meaning of the Constitution.

Uh, no, that is not at all what regulate means, or meant at that time.

The 1828 Webster's dictionary, chosen because it is the earliest available dictionary online and pretty close to the time of the writing of the Constitution, gives these definitions for "regulate":

regulate

REG'ULATE, v.t.

1. To adjust by rule, method or established mode; as, to regulate weights and measures; to regulate the assize of bread; to regulate our moral conduct by the laws of God and of society; to regulate our manners by the customary forms.

2. To put in good order; as, to regulate the disordered state of a nation or its finances.

3. To subject to rules or restrictions; as, to regulate trade; to regulate diet.

http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/word/regulate

As noted before, Congress has the power "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes."

That's pretty obviously under definition 3, above.