Limits on Government

From Pete Ashdown Campaign Collaboration Wiki

When “We the people” set up the constitution we gave the federal government certain specific powers found in Article I section 8, and reserved to the states or to the people the remaining powers (amendment X). This is not some quaint historical mistake, but a foundation principle, the violation of which causes many problems for our society.

For example, federal elections now attract a huge amount of money. When the power is all central, it is cost effective for individuals, companies, and even nations (e.g., China) to lobby in a major way for their benefit, regardless of the impact to our country’s citizens.

The principle of enumerated powers also allows states to experiment with the complexities of government, allowing for greater innovation.

In addition, having government closer to the individual makes it more likely that people will be happy with their government or they will be able to move somewhere else with different laws.

The founder’s views on the meaning of the constitution are very clear:

[T]he powers of the federal government are enumerated; it can only operate in certain cases; it has legislative powers on defined and limited objects, beyond which it cannot extend its jurisdiction. -- James Madison, Speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 6, 1788, Elliot's Debates (in the American Memory collection of the Library of Congress)

"I consider the foundation of the Constitution as laid on this ground that 'all powers not delegated to the United States, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people.' To take a single step beyond the boundaries thus specially drawn around the powers of Congress, is to take possession of a boundless field of power not longer susceptible of any definition." -- Thomas Jefferson, Opinion on the Constitutionality of a National Bank, February 15, 1791

"This specification of particulars [the 18 enumerated powers of Article I, Section 8] evidently excludes all pretension to a general legislative authority, because an affirmative grant of special powers would be absurd as well as useless if a general authority was intended." -- Alexander Hamilton, Federalist 83

I will not vote for legislation that falls outside the powers enumerated in the constitution.