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philosophy

Return to Common Sense

August 17, 2009

Section: Domestic - Philosophy

 Limit the federal government to those duties specifically enumerated in the Constitution, and let the states compete on merit

 

Philosophy (Background, Issues, Objectives):

Constitution established a federal government of limited powers, enumerated in Article I, section 8.

States rights reaffirmed by 9th and 10th Amendments to the Constitution

Anglo-American foundations of society are:

Federal spending is the third-largest item in the federal budget after Social Security and defense.

·         Aid to the states increased from $286 billion in 2000 to an estimated $449 billion in 2007.

·         The number of state aid programs soared from 463 in 1990, to 653 in 2000, to 814 by 2006.

 

Principles:

Unless Constitution specifically grants power to the Federal government, the states may legislate their own laws.

Government programs must be self sustaining.

Conservative approach to social problems:

 

Recommendations:

Limit size and intrusion of government.

o   Interpret Commerce Clause restrictively to return governmental power to the States.

Remove the federal government from subsidies :

o   Medicare (325B) - Privatize into Personal Health Savings Accounts.

o   Social Security - Privatize into personal accounts.

o   Crop Insurance.

o   National Flood Insurance.

o   Property Insurance.

o   Terrorism Risk Insurance (TRIA).

o   Windstorm Insurance.

o   Air Traffic Control ($2,814M).

o   Airport Grants ($3,041M).

o   Amtrak ($1,259M).

o   Army Corps of Engineers ($4,891M).

o   Export-Import Bank.

o   FAA Facilities & Equipment ($2,867M).

o   Federal Highway Administration ($32,950M).

o   Federal Transit Administration ($8,420M)

o   Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), ($6.5 B).

o   Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), ($6.5 B).

o   Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae).

o   Government Printing Office.

o   Legal Services Corporation ($350 M).

o   NASA ($15,719M).

o   Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation.

o   Postal Service.

o   Retirement Insurance, including Social Security (527B).

o   Risk Management Agency ($3,366M).

o   St. Lawrence Seaway.

o   Tennessee Valley Authority and four Power Marketing Administrations ($179M).

o   Transportation Security Agency ($2,700M).

o   Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit ($62B)

o   Medicaid ($186B)

o   SCHIP.

o   State Payment for Family Support ($4,142M).

o   Temporary Assistance for Needy Families ($18,099M)

o   Child Care Entitlement Grants ($2,718M).

o   Child Care & Development Grants ($2,099M).

o   Community Oriented Policing Services ($575M).

o   Community Service Grants ($631M)

o   Department of Education ($70,953M)

o   Environmental Protection Agency ($3,592M).

o   Federal Transit Administration ($8,420M).

o   Foster Care & Adoption Grants ($6,474M).

o   Head Start ($6,843M).

o   Social Service Grants ($1,764M).

Divest government ownership stakes in private industry enterprises:

 

References:

United States Constitution, 1789.

Can Government Be Reinvented?” by Larry Reynolds, dated January 1994, published in the Management Review.

Liberty and Tyranny” by Mark R. Levin published by Threshold Editions, 2009.

Congressional Testimony before Subcommittee on Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations by Roger Pilon, published by Cato Institute on http://www.cato.org/testimony/ct-fd720.html .

The Corporate Welfare Budget Bigger Than Ever” by Stephen Slivinski, dated October 10, 2001, published by The Cato Institute on http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-415es.html .

A Strategy to Eliminate Wasteful Federal Spending” by Sam Brownback, dated October 16, 2003, published by Heritage Foundation on http://www.heritage.org/Research/Budget/HL806.cfm .

How to Get Federal Spending Under Control” by Brian M. Riedl, dated March 5, 2004, published by Heritage Foundation on http://www.heritage.org/Research/Budget/bg1733.cfm .

Downsizing the Federal Government” by Chris Edwards, dated June 2, 2004, published by Cato Institute on http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=1373 .

America’s Taxpayers Will Pay Earthquake Bill” by Michael Reagan, dated March 30, 2006, published on http://www.reagan.com/article.php?id=146 .

Waterfront Welfare for Developers” by Froma Harrop, dated May 26, 2006, published on Real Clear Politics at http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/05/waterfront_welfare_for_develop.html .

You Might be a Constitutionalist If…” by Chuck Baldwin, dated August 9, 2006, published on American Daily at http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/05/waterfront_welfare_for_develop.html .

Reagan Was Right: We’re Overgoverned” by John Andrews, dated February 4, 2007, published on Town Hall at http://www.townhall.com/columnists/JohnAndrews/2007/02/04/reagan_was_right_we%e2%80%99re_overgoverned .

Whatever happened to Federalism?” by Gary J. Andres, dated February 15, 2007, published on Washington Times at http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/gandres.htm .

“A Moral Case Against Big Government: How Government Shapes the Character, Vision, and Virtue of Citizens” by Ryan Messmore, dated February 2007, published on The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/Thought/fp9.cfm .

The Enlightenment: Anglo-American (Genesis) vs. Franco-Germanic (Anti-Genesis)” by Linda Kimball, dated March 9, 2007, published on American Daily at http://www.americandaily.com/article/17939 .

Federal Aid to the States – Historical Cause of Government Growth and Bureaucracy” by Chris Edwards, dated May 22, 2007, published by Cato Institute at http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=8246 .

My Neighbor’s Keeper? Rethinking Responsibility and the Role of Government” by Ryan Messmore, dated August 2, 2007, published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/Religion/bg2058.cfm .

Restoring the American Social Contract” by Stuart M. Butler, dated July 26, 2007, published by Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/Family/hl1039.cfm .

Social Welfare Conservatism” by Douglas J. Besharov, dated January 9, 2008, published by American Enterprise Institute at http://www.aei.org/publications/filter.all,pubID.27338/pub_detail.asp .

Taking Liberties” by Jonah Goldberg dated January 25, 2008 published by Town Hall at http://www.townhall.com/columnists/JonahGoldberg/2008/01/25/taking_liberties .

Put the ‘Independence’ Back in Independence Day” by Michael S. Berliner dated June 27, 2008 published by American Daily at http://www.americandaily.com/article/22475 .

Great ideas: unintended consequences” by Henry Lamb dated July 14, 2008 published by American Daily at http://www.americandaily.com/article/22627 .

The Supreme Court and the Commerce Clause” by Thomas Brewton dated July 15, 2009 published by Thomas Brewton at http://www.thomasbrewton.com/index.php/weblog/the_supreme_court_and_the_commerce_clause/ .

ObamaCare:’ What does the Constitution have to say?” by Chelsea Schilling dated August 14, 2009 published by World Net Daily at http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=106694 .

 

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