a political and constitutional fight to the death

and don't say you weren't warned!

Tick, tock, tick, tock: While the hours, minutes, and seconds wind down to the next presidential election, the second hand sweeping the clock’s face is only outpaced by the rapidity of the increasing national debt. But not to be outdone, the two current contenders, with two vastly different perspectives of outlandish promises to outdo the other, even stealing the other’s ideas on a scale never imagined. Only, what’s right, what’s truth, what’s constitutional, and what will be the straw that finally breaks the camel’s back. And while the national debt grows at a pace unfathomable, who cares, because the more the merrier, while the spending unchecked at some point the rooster will crow. What was meant to be a small, limited government, ballooned into a behemoth, a leviathan. One so large, too big to fail comes to mind.

Except, in the spree of spending another’s money, the burden of paying back the borrowed debt, which continues to grow out of hand, national failure is well within the realm of possibility. Just try to fathom, currently, the national debt per taxpayer is $271,188.00. An amount most can’t afford, as their yearly job pay, and saving accounts sit well below the debt burden, not including their personal debt. And by the time you read this, IF you’re a taxpayer, your personal part of that debt will grow exponentially as the interest compounds daily, proposing: Shouldn’t every American be a taxpayer? Because, and sadly, in all the hoopla of the campaign season and the promises to give today, the burden of paying off the debt tomorrow will eventually fall on those who are yet to know they’re in debt over their heads. They will face a tsunami of taxes putting every one of them in the poor house before they even get out of the house they’re being raised in: If there is even a country left. And ponder for a second, those today who created their personal college debt on a level unheard of are now demanding the taxpayer pay it off. All because the government involved itself in something it had no constitutional authority to inject itself in.

Anyway, when the Constitution was being debated one of the many issues that had the Anti-Federalists vociferously sounding off: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, … (they claimed the wording a “sweeping clause,” too broad of power) … (then) Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; (Article I/Section 8/1^st Clause). Although, included with the ability to tax: To borrow Money on the credit of the United States; (Article I/Section 8/2nd Clause). Sadly, that 2^nd clause has brought the country to the point of insolvency, which begs: Do legislators run their personal finances like they run the country’s? Or, like a drunken sailor on liberty after being at sea for an extended timeframe, is the nation currently vaped in a drunken stupor believing Party and uncontrolled spending the answer? Although, I do wonder if the Anti-Federalists, in their desire to reign in the powers of taxation being granted, should have been even more suspect and forewarned against unlimited spending and borrowing like they railed against said taxing. Although, in the same clause: “provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States.” So, in all things being equal, if words are important, the ability to define them more so. Thus, using Webster’s 1828, let’s define some key words:  

Provide (verb transitive): To procure beforehand; to get, collect or make ready for future use; to prepare. Abraham said, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt-offering (Genesis 22). Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses (Matthew 10). Provide things honest in the sight of all men (Romans 12).

Provide (verb intransitive): To procure supplies or means of defense; or to take measures for counteracting or escaping an evil. The sagacity of brutes in providing against the inclemencies of weather is wonderful. Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants (Burke).

Common (adjective): Belonging equally to more than one, or to many indefinitely; as, life and senses are common to man and beast; the common privileges of citizens; the common wants of men.

Defense (noun): Any thing that opposes attack, violence, danger or injury; any thing that secures the person, the rights or the possessions of men; fortification; guard; protection; security. A wall, a parapet, a ditch, or a garrison, is the defense of a city or fortress. The Almighty is the defense of the righteous (Psalm 59).

General (noun): The whole; the total; that which comprehends all or the chief part; opposed to particular.

Welfare (noun): Exemption from misfortune, sickness, calamity or evil; the enjoyment of health and the common blessings of life; prosperity; happiness; applied to persons.   

So, based on the above definitions, to present food for thought: If one reads the transitive and intransitive definitions of “provide,” Social Security (provide transitive) proves constitutional. Only, it required the year 1935, and a socialist president (FDR), who, in truth, sought autarchy (absolute power), bringing the country his hallmark legislation: for a purpose and not altruistic. But I believe Social Security is not the sense of socialism, as government must take to give, but the premise of everyone paying in to receive (provide for the general welfare). Only, the government, under LBJ, flipped the words completely on their proverbial head with Welfare (1964 and the Great Society, thus socialism), exempting the word “general.” Except, the nation’s Framers never imagined the concept of either one, even though Thomas Paine (1736-1809) argued for a government funded retirement. Although didn’t the government (Congress) grant themselves retirement at the taxpayers’ expense, violating the Constitution outright: The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States (Article I/Section 6/1^st Clause). Then the Executive: The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them (Article II/Section 1/7^th Clause). Then the Judicial: The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office (Article III/Section1). So, ask yourself: When does compensation for services rendered become the prostitutional theft of taxpayer funding for life while the average taxpayer must fund their own retirement? And when did “good Behaviour” become party politics played out from the bench? My God people: Wake Up!

Maybe the Anti-Federalists should have been more sagacious and forward thinking, not understanding the government today would stoop to allowing those able to work to not work. Or force others to support someone exempting a man in the house to receive said help, purposely designing the destruction of the nuclear family, including the creation of a morally corrupted and family debased nation. Now, throw in a government sponsored influx of illegal aliens being supported and the funding of wars the nation can ill-afford through the power of borrowing, fully knowing the national debt will attain amounts inconceivable. But to conversely script flip, but remain constitutional, if one can remove the Party blinders, was not Helene, the recent hurricane, a cause of “danger or injury” (provide - verb intransitive - for the general defense), begging: Where is the military or various national guards considering the extent of the disaster? Reflect on the recent vice-presidential debate: Governor Tim Walz claiming all the State governors working uniformly, and the necessity of a full-fledged immediate government response to the tragedy that wreaked itself on the country being basically non-existent: FEMA a pathetic excuse. And think, another hurricane is building to wreak even more havoc on the country.

 Now, evolution is a constant-in-flux proposition having transpired throughout human existence. Like the twisting of intent to create a lie of deceit and upend constitutional authority. Or better, what is constitutional responsibility by those elected who chose to be public servants? Instead, are those in power being served by the public at the behest of their position to self-enrich, violating the very oath they swore to uphold (?): But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions (Federalist 51).

Historically speaking, after the American Revolution, the country did not truly gain independence until after the War of 1812. But, by virtue of both wars, had gained massive debt (by their standards), France having loaned the fledgling nation the millions (American Revolution) required to beat England. Only, France wasn’t altruistic in its desire as England was the Superpower then, and France wanted to dethrone the Brits. Yet, by the end of WWII, both nations (France/England) knew America and Russia had become the newest world Superpowers. Thus, their success dependent on one of the two for support. Read and understand history! Because, if not understood, it will repeat itself. Although, today, our government wants to be THE Superpower over its own people.

So, thinking backwards, when the Articles of Confederation (AOCs) began to fail, to maintain as much of the concepts of liberty, and freedom, WE THE PEOPLE became the nation’s fundamental law: The Constitution. And based on events today, I can see why the Anti-Federalists held a strong disdain to the abolishment of the AOCs. But the Constitution, a controlled, limited scope of power afforded to those in power: There is no position which depends on clearer principles, than that every act of a delegated authority, contrary to the tenor of the commission under which it is exercised, is void. No legislative act, therefore, contrary to the Constitution, can be valid. To deny this, would be to affirm, that the deputy is greater than his principle; that the servant is above his master; that the representatives of the people are superior to the people themselves; that men acting by virtue of powers, may do not only what their powers do not authorize, but what they forbid (Federalist 78). Now, read those words again!

So, while the campaign season is in full swing, and the promises from those obfuscating presidential self-aggrandizement glaze over the eyes of those waiting to vote for their respective benefactor, remember the future to come: High taxes not only lessen the property of the individuals, but they lessen also the money capital of the nation, by inducing smuggling, which can only be carried on by gold and silver (Thomas Paine). And this is worsened or exacerbated when those in power prostitute their position to leverage their power for self-enrichment at the sacrifice of those they are supposedly representing. Except, the true desired goal: Destroy the foundation, the fundamental law, the Constitution by leveraging against the taxpayer a debt unpayable. And while the dollar continues to lose its value and luster worldwide (think BRIC, it’s coming at this spending pace), remember, if one cannot or fails to see the forest through the trees, then each of us deserve the fruits of our indolence, apathy, and ignorance, including the loss of our country. But I digress.