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To: lowbridge
"For why declare that things shall not be done which there is no power to do?"-A. Hamilton

Oh Mr. Hamilton. If only you and your fellow Federalists could see how far the sensibilities of this nation could fall! I wish I could travel back in time and bring you a copy of this magazine, and let you know that there are people of my time that are taking the magazine's assertions seriously without guffaws of laughter!

30 posted on 06/24/2011 4:24:07 AM PDT by LRS ("This is silly! It can't be! It can't be!!" "Oh yes it is! I said you wouldn't know the joint.")
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To: LRS

I think the Tenth Amendment which states: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people” DOES limit the powers of the Federal Government to those enumerated in The Constitution.


34 posted on 06/24/2011 4:32:44 AM PDT by rlmorel (Sometimes, the enemy of our enemy is our friend. But not always.)
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To: LRS

That is a short-quote from Federalist #84. The full context is:

“I go further, and affirm that bills of rights, in the sense and to the extent in which they are contended for, are not only unnecessary in the proposed Constitution, but would even be dangerous. They would contain various exceptions to powers not granted; and, on this very account, would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than were granted. For why declare that things shall not be done which there is no power to do? Why, for instance, should it be said that the liberty of the press shall not be restrained, when no power is given by which restrictions may be imposed? I will not contend that such a provision would confer a regulating power; but it is evident that it would furnish, to men disposed to usurp, a plausible pretense for claiming that power.”

Hamilton was arguing against the necessity of adding the Bill of Rights. He did so BECAUSE he foresaw what usurpers would do if given the hooks to turn the BoR amendments on their ears.


74 posted on 06/24/2011 9:20:43 AM PDT by savedbygrace (But God.)
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