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Showing posts from February, 2017

The Slippery Slope of Government Power: Avoiding Incrementalism and Loose Definitions

The 18th and 21st Amendments are Fantastic! They give us a clear guide to the powers and lack of powers of government. Of course, the enumerated powers  found in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution is another good place to look. But this is more of a  kinesthetic  approach.  The 18th Amendment was passed to create alcohol prohibition, a power not clearly granted to the government prior. The 21st repealed the 18th. Think about modern-day federal powers; where did they get all that power? President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed a second Bill of Rights in 1944. While I disagree with what he proposed, it is invaluable to recognize that by making such a proposal, it was the clear government did not currently possess the power to implement said proposals. Things like: * "The right to earn enough to provide adequate food, clothing, and recreation;." * "The right of every family to a decent home;." * "The right to adequate medical care and the ...