Posts Tagged ‘James Madison’
The Consitution v. the federal government
The Declaration of Independence states, “. . . these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States.” This sentiment was reaffirmed in 1781 in the Articles of Confederation which states, “Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States . . . .”
The Bill of Prvileges
The Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution, was ratified by three-fourths of the states in 1791. The Constitution was ratified four years earlier in 1787.
Who has the power – government or “we the people”
“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article
of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress
of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money
of their constituents.”
–James Madison, 4th U.S. President
father of the United States Constitution
Is the government the new “company store?”
How well does the government manage our money? Do our elected leaders spend it responsibly and frugally, as they should? Sen. Charles Schumer answered these questions saying, “Let me say this to all the chattering class that so much focuses on those little, tiny, yes, porky amendments: ‘the American people really don’t care.’” He was speaking about the wasted spending, the pork, in the $787 billion stimulus package. How much of the $787 billion actually stimulates the economy? According to the Wall Street Journal, only 12 percent “is for something that can plausibly be considered a growth stimulus.”
“to provide for the…general welfare of the United States”
Our Founding Fathers fought the Revolutionary War to free us from a government that controlled our lives. They created the United States of America with a Constitution granting specific, limited powers to the government, guaranteeing that “We the people” controlled the government. So how does Congress regularly circumvent the Constitution, expanding their power without “We the people” consenting? Remember, our Constitution begins with “We the people,” not “We the Congress.”
“A free people…ought to be armed”
Thomas Jefferson said, “No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.” But did he foresee guns being used in mass murders, the most recent leaving three dead in Colorado? There a gunman killed two people and wounded two others at a missionary training center in Arvada. Later the same day he killed one person and wounded four others at a church in Colorado Springs before he was shot by an armed security guard.
The United States – “One nation under God?”
The funeral of a United States serviceman, who was killed in combat, ignited the debate over God and government. Is it inappropriate to mention God at a military funeral? Did we vote to become an agnostic nation? The debate continues because some individuals and groups believe any mention of God in government violates the “separation of church and state.” What were the intentions of our Founding Fathers for the United States of America?
