What powers are granted by the "General Welfare" and the "Necessary And Proper" clauses?

From the post: But what color can the objection have, when a specification of the objects alluded to by these general terms immediately follows, and is not even separated by a longer pause than a semicolon?

Madison meant that Article I Section 8 is one sentence. He's right.

Around the 6th grade I learned the semicolon is used between closely related main clauses. Thus, there is no disconnect between the declaratory clause (common defense and general welfare) and the enumerated powers which follow. The enumerated powers are components of a single thought, to provide for our common defense and general welfare.

The Framers began with a broad statement, “provide for the common Defense and general Welfare,” and then got into specifics in the same sentence. It is no error or oversight that Article I, Section 8 was written as it was. It was purposely done in order to make sure that a reasonably literate people could not ignore, confuse or abuse its meaning. Congressional powers are thus strictly limited to those enumerated.

“The only way to address it is to make people afraid to obey the president if an order is clearly unconstitutional.”

Congress has long had the power to impeach *cabinet officers*, though they have only done so once. So all it needs is an enthusiastic congress willing to do so. Importantly, they need a test case for impeaching “czars” as well.

Imagine if after she plead the 5th, congress had voted to impeach and remove Lois Lerner? With a bar to future employment by the government, or any government contractor.

I would like to see congress impeach bureaucrat after bureaucrat, immediately following a vote of contempt of congress. If they blow off testifying. If they perjure themselves while testifying. If they plead the 5th. etc. They are out of a job.

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