I’ve only excerpted three paragraphs, but you should read his entire column. It is very tragic that the vision of liberty put forth by the Founders has been so undermined by modern politicians who swear an oath to the Constitution without having any idea what the document actually says.
In 1794, when Congress appropriated $15,000 to assist some French refugees, James Madison, the acknowledged father of our Constitution, stood on the floor of the House to object, saying, “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.” He later added, “(T)he government of the United States is a definite government, confined to specified objects. It is not like the state governments, whose powers are more general. Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government.” Two hundred years later, at least two-thirds of a multi-trillion-dollar federal budget is spent on charity or “objects of benevolence.” What would the founders think about our respect for democracy and majority rule? Here’s what Thomas Jefferson said: “The majority, oppressing an individual, is guilty of a crime, abuses its strength, and by acting on the law of the strongest breaks up the foundations of society.” John Adams advised, “Remember democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” The founders envisioned a republican form of government, but as Benjamin Franklin warned, “When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.” What would the founders think about the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2005 Kelo v. City of New London decision where the court sanctioned the taking of private property of one American to hand over to another American? John Adams explained: “The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. If ‘Thou shalt not covet’ and ‘Thou shalt not steal’ were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society before it can be civilized or made free.”
[…] Walter Williams and America’s Founding […]
[…] Walter Williams and America’s Founding […]
[…] Walter Williams and America’s Founding […]
[…] Walter Williams and America’s Founding […]
[…] Walter Williams and America’s Founding […]
[…] Walter Williams and America’s Founding […]
[…] Walter Williams and America’s Founding […]
[…] only because they wanted to limit the power of the central government but also because they wanted certain rights to be inalienable – i.e., guaranteed and protected even if 99 percent of the population feel […]
[…] Here’s some of what Walter Williams wrote about the Constitution’s limits of […]
[…] advocate of liberty and I’ve cited him several times (see here, here, here, here, here, and here) over the […]
[…] || []).push({}); } The United States instead is a constitutional republic. That means very clear limits on the power of government. And very clear limits, as George Will has properly explained and E.J. […]
[…] United States instead is a constitutional republic. That means very clear limits on the power of government. And very clear limits, as George Will has properly explained and E.J. […]
[…] Here’s more analysis of the issue from Walter […]
[…] Here’s more analysis of the issue from Walter […]
[…] why schemes like Obamacare are inconsistent with the Constitution, here’s some good analysis by Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell, Philip Klein and Damon Root, and yours […]
[…] Doesn’t Dionne know that the Constitution was adopted in part to protect basic freedoms from untrammeled majoritarianism? […]
[…] schemes like Obamacare are inconsistent with the Constitution, here’s some good analysis by Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell, Philip Klein and Damon Root, and yours truly. Rate this: Share […]
[…] right, but Wickard v. Filburn deserves a place on that list as well, only it enabled statism rather than racism. Rate this: Share […]
[…] Doesn’t Dionne know that the Constitution was adopted in part to protect basic freedoms from untrammeled majoritarianism? […]
[…] Doesn’t Dionne know that the Constitution was adopted in part to protect basic freedoms from untrammeled majoritarianism? […]
[…] Doesn’t Dionne know that the Constitution was adopted in part to protect basic freedoms from untrammeled majoritarianism? […]
[…] isn’t funny, though, is how far we’ve drifted from the system created by our Founding Fathers. Rate this: Share […]
[…] several columns by Walter Williams (see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here), in large part because he’s so good at explaining economic […]
[…] great news, but only if Republicans are serious. But does anyone think that the GOP is ready to bar any legislation funding the Departments of Education, Energy, Agriculture, and Housing and Urban…? None of these bureaucracies should exist according to the Constitution. So if the GOP is going to […]
[…] great news, but only if Republicans are serious. But does anyone think that the GOP is ready to bar any legislation funding the Departments of Education, Energy, Agriculture, and Housing and Urban…? None of these bureaucracies should exist according to the Constitution. So if the GOP is going to […]
Does anyone know if the Benjamin Franklin “vote themselves money” quote [above] is confirmed? I know the quote is popular, but I’ve seen it attributed to several different people. Thanks.