Originally posted by whatukno
reply to post by admriker444
Try looking at the top of the constitution the first paragraph. What the government is to be about.
The rest of my RANT as you call it, is facetious. It's to show that there are a lot of Social programs out there that are quite beneficial to the Welfare of the republic.
We accept these costs cause we know that these socialist programs are in fact for the good of the nation. I hope that when you read the constitution you notice that the word Welfare is capitalized which means it's a noun. It also means that the framers of the Constitution put emphasis on this word. The citizens well being is a part of the Constitution. It was so important that the founding fathers decided to put it amongst the first paragraph of the Constitution.
Kinda makes it important.
You are disingenuous in the least and completely naive at worst!
Since setting the record straight and educating you on American history seems to have become my role in this thread, I will continue... Let us first begin with this truly onerous notion that "Welfare" means what you think it does... From a scholarly Constitutional website...
Welfare
welfare n. 1. health, happiness, or prosperity; well-being. [
Welfare in today's context also means organized efforts on the part of public or private organizations to benefit the poor, or simply public assistance. This is not the meaning of the word as used in the Constitution.
So, what then does the "General Welfare" in the Constitution describe? The founding fathers intended that "General Welfare" be understood as the "Collective good" benefiting equally the states united. This means that the Federal Government would conduct itself in a way, limited by it's authority written into the Constitution, to ensure that those rights of individuals outlined in Article 1, Sections 8 and 9 and Article 3, Section 3 and throughout the Bill of Rights never be infringed or usurped - either by the States OR the Federal Government.
To such end, the founding fathers created the Bill of Rights which specifically enumerate those rights to which the persons of the states united would be entitled to receive from the Federal Government. They are as follows:
1st Amendment: Freedom of (or from) religion. Freedom of speech. Freedom to assemble. Freedom to petition the government.
2nd Amendment: Right to bear arms.
3rd Amendment: Freedom from quartering soldiers.
4th Amendment: Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. Warrants must only be issued upon probable cause, and shall be specific.
5th Amendment: Criminal indictments must be by grand jury. Freedom from double jeopardy. Freedom from testifying against oneself. Right to face accusers. Right to due process. Right of just compensation for takings.
6th Amendment: Right to speedy trial. Right to impartial jury. Right to be informed of the charges upon which the accused is held. Right to face accusers. Right to produce witnesses for the accused. Right to legal counsel.
7th Amendment: Right to jury trial in civil cases. Facts found by a jury cannot be reexamined by another court.
8th Amendment: Freedom from excessive bail or fines. Freedom from cruel or unusual punishment.
9th Amendment: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
The preceeding are the RIGHTS GUARANTEED by the Federal Government to its citizens. Again, I challenge you to provide me with the statement that includes healthcare! The 9th Ammendment, on it's own, signifies that those rights not implied by the first 9 Ammendments to the Constitution, better known as The Bill of Rights, be retained by the people. Um, I believe providing your own damned healthcare would be included!
We can debate, ad nauseum, the benefits of these social programs. But what we cannot debate is the Constituional authority granted the Federal Government to create, implement, manage, mandate or apply by force any law not specifically granted to it by the Constitution. In other words, individuals could not be compelled by the Federal Government to participate in social welfare programs. Those were left specifically to the states, whose own Constitutions usually prohibited such infringement upon personal rights. As a result, churches and local community organizations typically provided social welfare programs for the members of its own community who were in need of such on a VOLUNTARY basis.
"When the power of the people to vote themselves money is realized, it will mark the end of the Republic!"
Honestly, again, your ideology is completely clouding your ability to make an objective analysis of the supreme law of the land. If you feel that you have a moral obligation to work to provide for the welfare of others, then that is your personal choice. You are welcome to volunteer, tithe your church, donate to charitable organizations etc... That being said, under no circumstances do you, or ANY OTHER ENTITY within theses States United, have the authority to demand the same of others.


