Since the very beginning of this great republic there have been those who have desired to transfer as much power as possible from the states and individuals to the Federal government. Starting all the way back to Hamilton’s unconstitutional bank where he made the argument to Washington that the new federal government had the authority to regulate the economy, making the bank constitutional, when in fact no such authority existed.
Washington then consulted Jefferson about the bank idea. Jefferson stated that the bank was not an enumerated power, nor was it necessary and proper to carry out any of the enumerated powers, so therefore was unconstitutional. Jefferson’s understanding of the constitution was spot on, while Hamilton’s was wrought with amnesia, for he had completely forgotten all about that War of Independence thing a few years earlier and the reasons for it.
It’s very, very disturbing to me to hear so-called constitutional thinkers talk about the constitution in haphazard and even reckless ways. They, just like those before them have turned the Constitution into a mishmash of mangled words in which up means down and left means right. They have reduced the Constitution to a handful of meaningless phrases that completely distort the meaning of various parts of the Constitution. Phrases such as the General Welfare Clause, which is not a clause about general welfare, but instead a clause about taxation, how taxes are raised and what they can be spent on.
Another distortion is that of the Necessary and Proper clause aka the Elastic Clause, which many believe is there as some kind of catch-all authority. The Necessary and Proper Clause, however, only allows Congress to do those things that are necessary and proper to carry into action powers that are listed in the Constitution such as purchasing battle ships for the navy. Maintaining a navy is a listed power, but buying ships is not. This clause was added to prevent distortions such as Hamilton’s…..it hasn’t worked very well.
Another famous distortion is the “Supremacy Clause” and the notion that all federal laws are supreme…….this could not be further from the truth. Two very important words that are never mentioned in the abbreviated version are “pursuant to”. In order for any federal law to be the supreme law of the land, it must be made pursuant to the Constitution, which means it must be constitutional.
Another “Supreme” distortion is the doctrine of incorporation by which it has been contrived that the Bill of Rights applies not only to the federal government, but state and local governments, public schools and anything else the courts wish to apply them to. The United States Constitution applies only as described therein, and the state constitutions apply to the state governments and the other government entities such as counties, cities, and towns.
The United States Constitution does not require a law degree to understand, although it does require several readings and some research. The only correct reading of the Constitution is a literal reading for it actually requires very little “interpretation.” A literal reading of it, however, presents one major problem to those with devious motives toward it. It will give them few, to no avenues for such efforts.
God save the United States Constitution!!!!