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.

Establish justice (courts)
Insure domestic tranquility (punishing crimes).
Provide for common defense (maintain armed services).
Secure the blessings of liberty.

The Commerce clause “The Congress shall have Power...To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes...” has been used to subsume almost any human activity.

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

People grant specific enumerated powers to the Federal government, thus limiting Federal power.
Each state has its own government, and can create its own laws.
No state may enter any treaty, alliance, or confederation on is own.
Each state is free to tax
Each state is free to spend

Anglo-American foundations of society are:

God created man.
Sanctity of life.
Enduring morality and virtue.
Family.
Religion.
Individuality.
Property.
Custom.
Law.
Community.
Order.
Freedom.
Prosperity.
Recognition of man’s fallen nature.

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.

Inter-state wealth redistribution (transfer payments) is not a valid purpose for any program.

Government programs must be self sustaining.

Programs periodically examined for effectiveness.
Favored industry support is not a valid purpose for any program.
Analysis must have macroeconomic view, undistracted by short term or individual industry impacts

Conservative approach to social problems:

A preference for limited government.
A desire to means-test or otherwise target government benefits.
A concern about the behavioral consequences of assistance.
A deference to mediating institutions.
Respect for private choice, often in the form of markets.
Humility bred from disappointing experiences and the likelihood of unintended consequences.

Recommendations:

Limit size and intrusion of government.

Enforce federalism principle with the 9^th and 10^th Amendments to the Constitution.

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

Use Performance Assessment Rating Tool (PART) to evaluate program effectiveness
Use Commission on the Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies (CARFA) Act to terminate federal programs.
Lower taxes to reflect government downsizing.

Remove the federal government from subsidies :

Repeal agricultural subsidies.
Repeal commodity price supports.
Repeal Federal Housing Administration subsidies.

Privatize entitlement programs:

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

o Social Security - Privatize into personal accounts.

Privatize federal insurance programs since the government has no Constitutional role providing or guaranteeing insurance coverage:

o Crop Insurance.

o National Flood Insurance.

o Property Insurance.

o Terrorism Risk Insurance (TRIA).

o Windstorm Insurance.

Privatize activities that could be performed better by the private sector:

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).

Devolve entitlement programs back to the states:

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)

Devolve local programs back to the states:

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:

General Motors.
Chrysler.
AIG.
CitiCorp..

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 .