Unconstitutional: The Scope of the Federal Government

By Douglas V. Gibbs

In 1786 it became clear to the government leaders of the new United States of America that the Articles of Confederation had problems. Much of the document was acceptable, and the entire document was designed to limit the scope of the federal government. However, the founding fathers had not allowed the Law of the Land to give the federal government enough power to protect the union, and make regular the commerce between the states.

In 1787, for five months, the founders hammered out the U.S. Constitution, largely based on the framework of the Articles of Confederation, and the labors of James Madison. Though designed to give the federal government a little more power needed to hold together the union of sovereign states, the founding fathers still feared the rise of a strong centralized government so they continued with the theme of limiting the powers of the federal government.

The U.S. Constitution specifically enumerates the powers of the federal government in Article I, Section 8. The document does not tell the federal government what it can't do, it dictates to the federal government what it can do - if the proposed legislation does not fall within the authorities given to the federal government, it is quite simple: The federal government cannot do it.

Current growth of the powers of the federal government is unconstitutional. The Constitution does not give the federal government the power to restrict, or force upon, the states much of what it is currently engaging in. Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution does it give government the right to take ownership, or even partial ownership, of the private industry as the current administration has done with the banking system, automobile industry, or of the health care system as the Democrats are currently proposing. Cap and trade, giving the federal government ultimate power over emissions, manufacturing and productivity through their regulation, and restriction, of energy usage is also not authorized by the U.S. Constitution. In fact, the majority of the functions of the federal government is unconstitutional.

The solution is clear, and the federal government is not a part of that solution. We the People of the United States must demand fiscal responsibility, and a federal government that does not overstep its Constitutional authorities. That can be accomplished by ensuring that political candidates who are familiar with the Constitution our government is supposed to uphold are placed into office. This can only be done by support by the people. If we wait, the political parties will give us the candidates they want, and the federal government (including the wasteful spending) will continue to grow.

My candidate in my district in California (District 45) is Clay Thibodeau. I am doing what I can to support this candidate, get the word out about him, and encourage people to contribute to his campaign. Don't send money to the party, send it to the candidate of your choice.

Let's take back America in November! Support your Constitutional Conservative candidate now! Don't wait for Washington to give you another one of their cronies. Put an American who understands the U.S. Constitution into office, and let's turn around the growing monster in Washington and send it back to become a limited form of government as originally intended by our founding fathers.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary