That is the problem. We accept what is taught to us in liberal universities, rather than reading the document for ourselves.
I have read the document. I have read and studied all the Federalist essays, and have extensively studied biographies of many of the founders, particularly Madison and Hamilton.
I would counter to you that before taking the word of some internet website or TV talking head that try to claim that the founders (Constitutional founders, I mean) were a group of libertarians trying to create a limited government, that you read some of the notes of Madison, and look particularly at the actions of Hamilton and Washington after they took office.
Did you know that Madison included in his first draft a "negative" (veto) over state legislatures by the national legislature? Do you think Madison would have included things like the Interstate Commerce Clause, the Necessary and Proper clause, and most of all, the Supremacy Clause if he had been a great libertarian trying to limit the powers of the national government? No, Madison was, in the current vernacular, a "statist" in the truest sense of the word. Madison was without doubt a genius, and to say he did not foresee that future generations would use these tools he left at their disposal is foolish.
When Washington took office (he had been Presiding Officer at the Constitutional Convention, remember) one of his and Hamilton's first acts was to get Congress to pass The Revenue Act, which was intended to provoke a fight between Pennsylvania farmers and distillers and the government (The Whiskey Rebellion) so they could demonstrate the powers of the new government. George Washington and Hamilton put on uniforms and led armed troops against American Citizens who insisted on doing things they had heretofore been free to do.
The originators of the Constitution set out to create a strong, dominant, overbearing central government, and that is what they did. Almost every president in our history has used those powers, even when he didn't agree ideologically with their use. One example, that great author of the Declaration of Independence, T. Jefferson, fought an undeclared war, purchased the Louisiana Territory without an iota of Constitutional authority to do so, and was responsible for having Congress pass The Embargo Act, which was disastrous to our economy.
Don't get me wrong. I hate it as bad as anyone here, but to try to claim something is what it isn't doesn't do anyone any good. Sure, I know about Federalism, the separation of powers, and the division of powers between state and national government. I also realize that the Federal Government, by the very terms of the Constitution, is Supreme, and is going to be upheld by the courts inmost cases. Also, I do admire those founders (except maybe Hamilton :roll eyes
but I also recognize their foibles and limitations.
This isn't aimed at anyone here specifically; just a general statement . . . . one of my biggest problems with conservatives is that too many of them let people like Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin, etc. do their thinking for them. I probably agree with them about 90% of the time, but by golly, Icame to my conclusions on my own rather than just bobbing my head up and down and saying, "Uh Huh, what he said."
) by pointing out the extreme viewpoints held by some of the stalwarts. Google Mary Ruwart and child porn.
