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What is the Proper Role of Federal Government?
The Coach's Team ^ | 5/1/18 | KrisAnne Hall

Posted on 05/01/2018 8:13:20 AM PDT by Oldpuppymax

What is the proper role of Government? We have witnessed the perspectives of those in government; we have heard the answers in presidential debates. But what was envisioned by those who DESIGNED our constitutional republic? Wouldn’t you like to KNOW what government is supposed to be doing?

The interesting thing is, we don’t have to guess, we don’t have to make it up, we need only look to the framers of our Constitution. It is simplistically elegant, the way they described the role of the Senate and the House. Yet even the simplest of explanations seem to have eluded the entire government machine. As the employers of our government, it is essential that we know what government is supposed to be doing and require them to fully adhere to their job description.

James Madison said that the powers delegated to the federal government are ‘few and defined’ (Article I, Sec 8). He explains that the general welfare clause does not grant the government the power to do generally whatever they want; it simply describes the purpose in delegating their few powers. In other words, our founders believed in and intended limited government. VERY limited.

James Madison said, “I, sir, have always conceived—I believe those who proposed the Constitution conceived—it is still more fully known and more material to observe, that those who rarified the Constitution conceived—that is is not an indefinite government…but a limited Government. The Powers delegated to the federal government are few and defined…war, peace negotiations, and foreign commerce.”

By the same token, Congress was to have a limited and strictly defined role as well. Congress was not established to “become” the federal government but to control it on behalf of the people. That is the reason they hold the most influence and control...

(Excerpt) Read more at thecoachsteam.com ...


TOPICS: Government; History; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: congress; constitution; president
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1 posted on 05/01/2018 8:13:20 AM PDT by Oldpuppymax
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To: Oldpuppymax

The primary purpose of the federal government is to protect the US from invasion, a mission it has refused to do for at least the last FOUR Presidents.


2 posted on 05/01/2018 8:15:34 AM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here of Citizen Parents__Know Islam, No Peace - No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: Oldpuppymax

From where we currently stand:

LEAVE ME ALONE!


3 posted on 05/01/2018 8:16:41 AM PDT by Uncle Miltie (A Second Amendment march to deny leftists their First Amendment rights. Turnabout is fair play.)
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To: Oldpuppymax

You had one job. Protect me from foreign tyrants.

The scope of your powers were limited so you didn’t become one yourself... but...


4 posted on 05/01/2018 8:17:04 AM PDT by z3n
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To: Oldpuppymax

Defend the Nation and its borders.
Conduct foreign policy.
Regulate interstate commerce.
Investigate interstate crime.

That is pretty much it.


5 posted on 05/01/2018 8:20:48 AM PDT by Little Ray (Freedom Before Security!)
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To: Oldpuppymax

Rein in Congress.
Rein in the Judges.

Too many tyrants.


6 posted on 05/01/2018 8:22:14 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy
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To: Little Ray

Regulate trade with other countries including setting tariffs.


7 posted on 05/01/2018 8:22:24 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn)
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To: z3n

Domestic tyrants too.

To wit: anyone telling me what to do (under threat of violence), so long as I’m not infringing on someone else’s rights.


8 posted on 05/01/2018 8:27:09 AM PDT by ctdonath2 (The Red Queen wasn't kidding.)
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To: Oldpuppymax
In a nutshell, the gov't is to provide "social overhead capital", or those things that cannot, or will not, be provided by the private sector. This includes things like a standing military, a legal system to protect property rights, and other social goods that are not profitable for the private sector, but deemed necessary by society (e.g., a public road system, an agency to interface with the rest of the world, etc.). Charles Beard's An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution contains the classic discussion of the topic. Clearly, the US gov't oversteps what the founding fathers envisioned for gov't. Indeed, our cov't competes with the private sector, but shouldn't (e.g., SBA).
9 posted on 05/01/2018 8:30:24 AM PDT by econjack
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To: Oldpuppymax
Well it's no secret. Look in here.


10 posted on 05/01/2018 8:44:19 AM PDT by mc5cents (Pray for a new Pope)
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To: Oldpuppymax; All

But then the anti-constitutional republic Progressive Movement successfully spooked low-information citizens into putting pressure on their state lawmakers to ratify the ill-conceived 17th Amendment (17A).

State lawmakers caved and ratified that amendment, unthinkingly giving up the voices of the state legislatures in Congress, effectively repealing the whole Constitution by doing so.

We need to put the country back on its constitutional foundations by repealing 17A.

The 16th Amendment can disappear too.


11 posted on 05/01/2018 8:47:56 AM PDT by Amendment10
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To: Oldpuppymax

Article 2, Section 8.

L


12 posted on 05/01/2018 8:48:14 AM PDT by Lurker (President Trump isn't our last chance. President Trump is THEIR last chance.)
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To: Oldpuppymax
The role of government is limited to the roles of the representatives we elect to Congress. The role of Congress is found in Article I Section 8 of the Constitution, the Powers of Congress.

To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures; To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries; To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;—And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

13 posted on 05/01/2018 8:50:40 AM PDT by GregoTX
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To: Oldpuppymax

To protect us from enemies foreign and domestic. Nothing more. Nothing less.


14 posted on 05/01/2018 8:59:41 AM PDT by bgill (CDC site, "We don't know how people are infected with Ebola.")
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To: econjack

Well stated!


15 posted on 05/01/2018 9:03:10 AM PDT by Midnitethecat
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To: Oldpuppymax

Protect our liberties, that’s it!


16 posted on 05/01/2018 9:13:34 AM PDT by CodeToad (The Democrats haven't been this pissed off since the Republicans took their slaves away.)
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To: Oldpuppymax

Defend me
Conduct international trade.
PERIOD


17 posted on 05/01/2018 9:19:02 AM PDT by SMARTY ("Nearly all men can stand adversity...to test a man's character, give him power." A. Lincoln)
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To: Oldpuppymax

The Republic’s Instruction Manual is currently on display in the Nation’s Capitol.

All our Politicians have to do is read the Document they swear an Oath to uphold and then act accordingly.

Those Politicians who fail to follow the Republic’s Instruction Manual should be removed from Office and escorted to the nearest Lamp Post.


18 posted on 05/01/2018 9:24:38 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative ( An Armed Society is a Polite Society. An Unarmed Society is North Korea.)
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To: Oldpuppymax

To do only those things that the States cannot do.


19 posted on 05/01/2018 10:55:14 AM PDT by Basket_of_Deplorables (Fire Sessions!!!)
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To: Oldpuppymax

Primarily:

Secure unalienable rights.
Establish just laws.
Administer those laws justly.


20 posted on 05/01/2018 10:56:32 AM PDT by KrisKrinkle (Blessed be those who know the depth and breadth of their ignorance. Cursed be those who don't.)
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