Constitutional Conversations for A1 S8 C1 General Welfare
“… The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to … provide … for the general Welfare of the United States….” ~ A1 S8 C1
To be able to use this power to provide for the general Welfare, Congress had to pass a bill that passed the House, representing of majority of Americans and pass a bill through the Senate thereby providing proof that the majority the states gave assent to spend our tax money for the proposed bill. Being that Congressmen were in office for only two years, it was expected that those expenses would be paid off in those two years or We the People would never consider voting them back into office; that would be irresponsible of us.
“Thomas Jefferson explained that this clause was not a grant of power to ‘spend’ for the general welfare of the people, but was intended to ‘limit the power of taxation’ to matters which provided for the welfare of ‘the union’ or the welfare of the whole nation. In other words, federal taxes could not be levied for states, counties, cities or special interest groups.” (1)
It was in the Butler case in 1936 and another in 1947 when the SCOTUS changed the Original Intent of this clause. However even as early as when Davy Crocket was serving as a Congressman, our representatives were tempted to spend our monies more freely that they would have their own. There had been a fire that had destroyed homes. Congress voted to send them $20,000 and Crocket had voted for this. When he went home, one of his constituents rebuked him soundly, so Crocket proposed to his colleagues to give their own money. No one, not one joined him in this proposal to offer a week of their own salary!
God help us return to first principles of the purpose for government as opposed to our responsibilities as individuals in our communities. Give us a heart to help the orphans, widows, homeless and poor from the Church, Your people. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
(1) Cleon Skousen, The Making of America, p.387
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“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 NIV
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