Taxes for General Welfare

The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday comes from Article I.8.1: "Congress shall have power … to pay … for the general welfare of the United States."

This principle bestowed on Congress the responsibility and the obligation to use tax revenues of the nation to fund all the purposes itemized in Article I, section 8 - with the understanding that the funds were to be used for the general welfare of the entire nation and not for individuals or preferred groups.

According to W. Cleon Skousen: "Thomas Jefferson explained that this clause was not a grant of power to `spend' for the general welfare of the people, but was intended to `limit the power of taxation' to matters which provided for the welfare of `the union' or the welfare of the whole nation. In other words, federal taxes could not be levied for states, counties, cities, or special interest groups." (See The Making of America - The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution, p 387.)

Oh, how far we have come from what the Founders originally intended. There is little wonder of how our leaders have placed our nation in financial peril. If only, they had read and followed the Constitution!