How Do You Balance The Federal Budget--Restrict Spending
To The Enumerated Powers
Posted By Publius Huldah on Feb 1, 2013
What those who ignorantly support the Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) overlook is that our
Constitution is one of enumerated powers only. That means that everything which we authorized the
federal government to do is actually listed in the Constitution.
Look at Art. I, Sec. 8, clauses 3-16: It lists – itemizes – most of the powers WE THE PEOPLE
delegated to Congress.
Now this is the Key: Congress is authorized to spend money only on the enumerated objects of its
powers. I.e., Congress may spend money on operating a patent office because issuing patents and
copyrights is an enumerated power delegated to Congress. See: Art. I, Sec. 8, cl. 8.
But Congress is NOT authorized to appropriate funds to teach Chinese prostitutes how to drink alcohol
responsibly. That is not listed
in the Constitution as an
enumerated power of
Congress.
Congress is NOT authorized
to appropriate funds to provide
medical care to old people or
poor people. That is not listed
in the Constitution as an
enumerated power of Congress.
SO! It is the list of Congress’ enumerated powers which is to control and limit its spending.
See, e.g., this paper at the subheading, Article I, §8, clauses 1-16: What it Really Means.
That is how Congress is to control its spending: They may lawfully appropriate funds only on the
objects of its enumerated powers.
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So, Art. I, Sec. 9, next to last clause, requires Congress to periodically publish the list of what it has
appropriated funds for (e.g., such and such amount for salaries of federal judges [authorized by Art. I,
Sec. 8, cl. 9 and Art. III, Sec. 1]; such and such amount to build ships for the Navy [authorized by Art.
I, Sec. 8, cl. 13]; and such and such amount to pay the salaries of the people who mint the coins and the
guards at the mint (Art. I, Sec. 8, cl. 5).
Congress is also required by Art. I, Sec. 9, next to last clause to publish the receipts it took in.
Our Constitution contemplated that the federal government would obtain its revenue [which was to be
spent ONLY on the enumerated objects of Congress' powers] in two basic ways: (1) import & export
tariffs, excise taxes (e.g., tax on whiskey) and (2) apportioned contributions from the States.
So, if the federal government had a shortfall in its constitutionally authorized expenditures on the
enumerated objects, and the revenues from the tariffs and excise taxes, the federal government would
make up the shortfall from the States. The amount due from each State would be apportioned based on
population [Art. I, Sec. 2, cl. 3]
Congress never had a “budget” until the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921. The Progressives
wanted to substitute a “budget” for the enumerated powers.
This was the beginning of the wholesale ignoring of Our Constitution.
Do you see?
http://freedomoutpost.com/2013/02/how-do-you-balance-the-federal-budget-restrict-spending-to-the-enumerated-powers/
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