Setting the Record Straight: The Tea Party and the Constitutional Powers of the Federal Government

8/3/2019 Setting the Record Straight: The Tea Party and the Constitutional Powers of the Federal Government

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120018th

Street,N.W.,Suite1002,Washington,D.C.20036 www.theusconstitution.org

SettingtheRecordStraight:TheTeaPartyandtheConstitutionalPowersoftheFederalGovernment

IssueBriefNo.4July16,2010

ElizabethWydraandDavidGans

IntroductionTheemergenceoftheTeaPartymovementasanincreasinglypersistentpresenceinthe

mediaandinpoliticshasfocusednationalattentionontheConstitution,asTeaPartymembers

invokeourNationsFoundingintheirrhetoricandclaimtoroottheiragendainthe

Constitution.As

an

organization

dedicated

to

the

text

and

history

of

the

Constitution,

ConstitutionalAccountabilityCenterapplaudsthisfocusontheConstitution,atleastintheory.

TheConstitutionshouldframeourpoliticaldebatesandbefollowedfaithfullybyourcountrys

leaders,regardlessoftheirpoliticalaffiliation. ButastheTeaPartyanditsstandardbearers

continuetomakeclaimsaboutthemeaningofourNationscharterincludinginthedebates

overSolicitorGeneralElenaKagansconfirmationtotheSupremeCourtitisimportantthat

thisnationalconversationengagetherealConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesandnotthe

ConstitutionAccordingtotheTeaParty.

AcloselookattheTeaPartysversionoftheConstitutionshowsthatitbearslittle

resemblancetoouractualConstitution,departssharplyfromtheFoundersvisionforAmerica,

andcould

threaten

some

of

the

constitutional

values

Americans

cherish

most.

In

this

Issue

Brief,wetakeontheTeaPartierscentralclaim: thatourcountrysFoundersestablisheda

sharplylimited,weaknationalgovernment,incapableofaddressingnationalproblemslikethe

healthcarecrisisinAmerica. Thisclaimdoesntstanduptothetestoftextandhistory.

ThisIssueBriefdocumentsfirstthattheFoundersestablishedthefederalgovernment

toactwheneverthestateswereseparatelyincompetentandgrantedthefederalgovernment

broadpowerto,amongotherthings,regulateinterstatecommerceandtaxandspendto

promotethegeneralwelfare. Tobesure,ourConstitutionestablishedanationalgovernment

ofenumeratedandnotunlimitedpowers,asaffirmedbytheTenthAmendmentandrecognized

bytheSupremeCourtincasessuchasUnitedStatesv.Lopez. Butwhilethesepowersareenumerated,theyarealsobroadandsubstantial.

Second,wechroniclehowmostconstitutionalamendmentsratifiedbyWethePeople

inthelasttwocenturieshaveexpandedtheenumeratedpowersofthefederalgovernment,

buildingonthealreadyrobustpowersgrantedtoCongressinthe1789textoftheConstitution.

Theseamendmentsgavevastpowerstothefederalgovernmenttoprotectequality,civilrights,

andvotingrightsandtoraisefundsthroughtaxesonincome.


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CACIssueBrief,July16,2010 Page|2

TheConstitutionAccordingtotheTeaPartyandItsAlliesTeaPartiersandtheirfriendshavemadeagreatmanyboldstatementsaboutthe

Constitutionandtheroleofthefederalgovernment. WhileTeaPartyactivistsandtheir

conservativefriendsandalliesdonotagreeoneverything,theyareunitedintheirviewthatthe

federalgovernment

is

exercising

powers

today

that

are

beyond

the

limits

of

our

Constitution.

FromtheHeritageFoundationledMountVernonStatementtoTeaPartyaffiliated

organizationslikeLibertyCentral,theclaimismadethatourConstitutioncreatedasharply

limitednationalgovernmentandthatthemodernfederalgovernmentvastlyoverstepsthose

limits. InthecolorfulrecentwordsofRushLimbaugh,therehavebeenaseriesofwicked,

unconstitutionalexperimentsfromtheNewDealtotheBigFingDeal.AsLimbaughsremarkindicates,healthcarereformhasbecomeapoliticalflashpointfor

theTeaParty,standinginforthemyriadfederalactionsincludingcivilrightslaws,

environmentalprotection,corporateregulations,andthemaintenanceoftheDepartmentof

EducationandsafetynetprogramssuchasSocialSecuritythatatleastsomeTeaPartiers

believeare

unconstitutional

exercises

of

federal

power.

The

crisis

in

the

health

care

and

insuranceindustries,whichencompassroughlytwentypercentoftheU.S.economy,seemslike

aclassicexampleofaninterstatecommerceproblemstatescannotsolveontheirown. But

conservativesandTeaPartyactivistsaremakingthistheirWaterloo. AttheKaganconfirmation

hearings,SenatorJohnCornynarguedthatifthehealthcarereformlegislationisconstitutional,

itseemstomethereisnolimittothefederalgovernment'sauthorityandwe'vecomealong,

longwayfromwhatourfoundersintended.KenCuccinelli,VirginiaselectedAttorneyGeneral

whohassuedthefederalgovernmentoverthehealthcarelaw,agrees,tellingaTeaParty

gatheringthatthehealthcarereformbillisthegreatesterosionoflibertyinmyadult

lifetime."

Citizensand

elected

officials

like

Cuccinelli

are

of

course

free

to

try

to

make

the

case

for

theirconstitutionalclaimsinthecourts,wheremostlegalscholars,includingconservativessuch

asOrinKerrandCharlesFried,agreesuchclaimswillfail. However,thesweepingstatements

byTeaPartymembersandtheirfriendsabouttheoverreachingofthefederalgovernment

shouldnotgounchallengedoutsidethecourthousedoors. StatementsabouttheConstitution

suchasthosenotedabovearenotonlyinaccurate,butalsopotentiallydangerous: some

extrememembersoftheTeaPartymovementhavesuggestedthatthesolutionfora

governmentthatallegedlystraysfromtheConstitutionisviolenceandrebellion. Sharron

Angle,theTeaPartyendorsedRepublicanSenatecandidateinNevada,statedinaradio

interviewthatcitizensshouldlooktoSecondAmendmentremediesinotherwords,armed

insurrectionifthis

Congress

keeps

going

the

way

it

is.

Rick

Barber,

aTea

Party

congressionalcandidatefromAlabama,rananadsuggestingTeaPartiersshouldgatheryour

armies,asaresponsetoprogressivetaxation. Afterthepassageofthehealthcarebill,Sarah

PalinsentthismessagetoCommonsenseConservatives&loversofAmerica:"Don'tRetreat,

Instead RELOAD!"

Suchveiledthreatsofviolencethankfullyhavebeencondemnedbysomeconservatives.

ConservativecolumnistMichaelGerson,forexample,calledoutAngleforherreferenceto
http://www.themountvernonstatement.com/http://www.themountvernonstatement.com/http://www.themountvernonstatement.com/http://www.themountvernonstatement.com/http://www.themountvernonstatement.com/http://www.libertycentral.org/five-founding-principles/limited-governmenthttp://www.libertycentral.org/five-founding-principles/limited-governmenthttp://www.libertycentral.org/five-founding-principles/limited-governmenthttp://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_071410/content/01125108.guest.htmlhttp://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/virginia-attorney-general-ken-cuccinelli-defends-health-care-lawsuit-at-tea-party-rally/19532272http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/100114%20Angle%20on%20Lars%20Larson%20-%20Second%20Amendment%20Remedies.mp3http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doug-kendall/president-washington-woul_b_613290.htmlhttp://twitter.com/SarahPalinUSA/status/10935548053http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/08/AR2010070804274.html?hpid=opinionsbox1http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/08/AR2010070804274.html?hpid=opinionsbox1http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/08/AR2010070804274.html?hpid=opinionsbox1http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/08/AR2010070804274.html?hpid=opinionsbox1http://twitter.com/SarahPalinUSA/status/10935548053http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doug-kendall/president-washington-woul_b_613290.htmlhttp://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/100114%20Angle%20on%20Lars%20Larson%20-%20Second%20Amendment%20Remedies.mp3http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/virginia-attorney-general-ken-cuccinelli-defends-health-care-lawsuit-at-tea-party-rally/19532272http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_071410/content/01125108.guest.htmlhttp://www.libertycentral.org/five-founding-principles/limited-governmenthttp://www.themountvernonstatement.com/


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congressionaltyrannyandSecondAmendmentremediesanddismissedtheTeaPartystalk

ofarmedrebellionassofarfromthemoralweightinessoftheFoundersthatitmockstheir

memory. ButtheideasabouttheConstitutionthatunderlietheperceivedneedforsuch

drasticmeasureshavenotbeengivenasufficientlycriticallook. While1776mayhavebeenall

aboutrevolution,bythetimeourFounderstookupthetaskofdraftingourConstitutiona

decadelater,

they

were

focused

on

creating

an

adequate,

working

government

with

astrong

federalpower. ThisisexactlywhatourConstitutionestablishes.

TheFoundersCreatedAStrongNationalGovernmentTeaPartiersdeclarethattheywanttogotobacktotheideasoftheConstitution,but

whattheyreallywantistoreturntotheArticlesofConfederation. TheTeaPartysprincipal

claimthatourcountrysFoundersestablishedasharplylimited,weaknationalgovernmentfits

morewiththefailed,discardedArticlesofConfederationthanwiththeFounderssecondand

lastingattempttocraftanationalcharter,ourConstitution.

Itis

telling,

in

this

regard,

that

the

Tea

Party

invokes

the

revolutionary

fervor

of

the

BostonTeaParty,whichoccurredin1775,andthattheMountVernonStatementreferstothe

selfevidenttruthsof1776,theyeartheDeclarationofIndependencewasadopted,and

nevermentionsthattheConstitutionitselfwasdraftedin1787,elevenveryeventfulyears

later. TheArticlesofConfederation,adoptedbytheSecondContinentalCongressin1777and

ratifiedin1781,establishedaconfederacybuiltmerelyonafirmleagueoffriendship

betweenthirteenindependentstates. Therewasonlyasinglebranchofnationalgovernment,

theCongress,whichwasmadeupofstatedelegations. CongressundertheArticlesof

Confederationhadsomepowers,butwasgivennomeanstoexecutethosepowers. Congress

couldnotdirectlytaxindividualsorlegislateuponthem;ithadnoexpresspowertomakelaw

thatwouldbebindinginthestatescourtsandnogeneralpowertoestablishnationalcourts,

andit

could

raise

money

only

by

making

requests

to

the

states.

InavideopostedonthewebsiteofLibertyCentral,ProfessorRobertGeorgewaxes

eloquentlyabouthowthefoundersofourConstitutionhadlivedunderthetyrannyofthe

BritishCrown. Trueenough,butby1787theyhadalsolivedfortenyearsunderthe

dysfunctionoftheArticles,whichaccordingtoGeorgeWashington,almostcostthemvictoryin

theRevolutionaryWar. By1787,theConfederationwasinshamblesanditwasclearthata

newsystemofgovernmentwasnecessaryonewithastrongerandbroaderroleforthe

centralgovernment. TheFramersofourConstitutioncertainlyrecalledBritishtyranny,but

theyalsolearnedfromthemistakesoftheArticlesofConfederationandinthesucceeding

charter

gave

significant

power

to

the

new

federal

government.

Specifically,asdetailedbyProfessorAkhilAmarinhiscomprehensiveworkof

constitutionalscholarship,AmericasConstitution:ABiography,thedelegatestotheConstitutionalConventioninstructedtheCommitteeofDetail,whichdraftedtheenumerated

powersofCongressinArticleI,thatCongressshouldhaveauthoritytolegislateinallCasesfor

thegeneralInterestsoftheUnion,andalsointhoseCasestowhichtheStatesareseparately

incompetent. ArticleIthusgrantsCongresspowerto,amongotherthings,regulateinterstate
http://www.themountvernonstatement.com/http://www.themountvernonstatement.com/http://www.themountvernonstatement.com/http://www.themountvernonstatement.com/http://www.themountvernonstatement.com/http://www.libertycentral.org/five-founding-principles/limited-governmenthttp://gwpapers.virginia.edu/documents/constitution/1784/hancock.htmlhttp://gwpapers.virginia.edu/documents/constitution/1784/hancock.htmlhttp://www.libertycentral.org/five-founding-principles/limited-governmenthttp://www.themountvernonstatement.com/


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commerceandtaxandspendtopromotethegeneralwelfare. Congresssauthority,ofcourse,

hasitslimitsastheConstitutionsTenthAmendmentreaffirms,ourfederalgovernmentisone

ofenumeratedpowersbutthepowersexpresslygrantedtoCongressarenonethelessbroad

andsubstantial.

The

congressional

powers

written

into

the

Constitution

by

the

Founders

are

even

strongerwhencoupledwithArticleI,section8ssweepinggrantofauthoritytoCongressto

makelawsthatarenecessaryandproperforcarryingouttheotherpowersgrantedbythe

Constitution. ThegreatChiefJusticeJohnMarshallexplainedinMcCullochv.Maryland(1817)thatCongressshouldbeshownsignificantdeferenceregardingwhatlawsitconsiderstobe

appropriateincarryingoutitsconstitutionalduties.

ContrarytoTeaPartyclaims,theFounderscreatedafederalismthatallowedfora

significantroleforstatesandlocalgovernments,butcreatedastrongcentralgovernmentwith

sufficientpowertogovernaunitedcountry. Farfrombeingveryafraidoffederal

government,theFounderswerequiteconcernedwithprotectingtheUnitedStatesfrom

invadingforeign

armies

and

trusted

the

federal

government

to

protect

the

citizenry

against

the

evilsoffactions,asfamouslyelaboratedbyJamesMadisoninFederalistPaperNo.10. AsmadeclearintheConstitutionssoaringPreamble,ourFoundersinvestedfederallawmakers

withbroadpowerstopromotethecommondefenseandgeneralwelfareofwethepeople

oftheUnitedStates.

WethePeoplehaveExpandedtheFederalPowerThroughaSeriesofConstitutionalAmendments

TheTeaPartystoryaboutoursharplylimitednationalgovernmentisnotonly

inconsistentwiththewordsandintentionsofourFoundinggeneration,butitalsorequiresa

formof

selective

amnesia

about

the

important

changes

made

to

the

Constitution

by

successive

generationsofAmericans. SincetheFounding,theAmericanpeople,atcriticalmomentsinour

countryshistory,haveamendedtheConstitutionandaddedtoCongresssexpress

constitutionalpowers,ensuringCongresshasallthetoolsitneedstoaddressnationalproblems

andprotecttheconstitutionalrightsofallAmericans. Indeed,mostoftheamendmentsadded

totheConstitutionduringthe19th

and20th

Centuriesexpandedthepowerofthefederal

government. TheTeaPartysreadingoftheConstitutiondependsonignoringorrepealing

thesecriticalamendments.

Atleasthere,however,therehasbeenrecognitionbysomeTeaPartymembersofthe

radical

nature

of

their

ideas.

Rand

Paul,

the

Republican

Senate

candidate

from

Kentucky,

Rep.

DuncanHunterofSanDiego,andothershavecalledforrepealofthe14th

Amendments

guaranteeofcitizenshipatbirthforallchildrenbornintheUnitedStates. SharronAngle,the

NevadaSenatecandidate,hascalledforrepealofthe16th

Amendment,whichallowsfora

federalprogressiveincometax. AndmanyTeaPartyactivistsarepushingforrepealofthe17th

Amendment,whichshiftedtheselectionofU.S.Senatorsfromstatelegislaturestothestates

voters. AsJimLinn,aTeaPartymemberfromSanDiegoexplainedtotheWashingtonPost,
http://books.google.com/books?id=6xEoo46Gu_AC&printsec=frontcover&dq=redefining+federalism+douglas+kendall&source=bl&ots=GlmYNTByI6&sig=y1sGVUT76yH4vnC3bDpKqBauHNk&hl=en&ei=Y1s_TMi-MYL78AbbqMm_Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=falsehttp://books.google.com/books?id=6xEoo46Gu_AC&printsec=frontcover&dq=redefining+federalism+douglas+kendall&source=bl&ots=GlmYNTByI6&sig=y1sGVUT76yH4vnC3bDpKqBauHNk&hl=en&ei=Y1s_TMi-MYL78AbbqMm_Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=falsehttp://books.google.com/books?id=6xEoo46Gu_AC&printsec=frontcover&dq=redefining+federalism+douglas+kendall&source=bl&ots=GlmYNTByI6&sig=y1sGVUT76yH4vnC3bDpKqBauHNk&hl=en&ei=Y1s_TMi-MYL78AbbqMm_Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=falsehttp://books.google.com/books?id=6xEoo46Gu_AC&printsec=frontcover&dq=redefining+federalism+douglas+kendall&source=bl&ots=GlmYNTByI6&sig=y1sGVUT76yH4vnC3bDpKqBauHNk&hl=en&ei=Y1s_TMi-MYL78AbbqMm_Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=falsehttp://books.google.com/books?id=6xEoo46Gu_AC&printsec=frontcover&dq=redefining+federalism+douglas+kendall&source=bl&ots=GlmYNTByI6&sig=y1sGVUT76yH4vnC3bDpKqBauHNk&hl=en&ei=Y1s_TMi-MYL78AbbqMm_Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=falsehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/04/AR2010070404328.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/04/AR2010070404328.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/04/AR2010070404328.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/30/politics/main6447472.shtmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/30/politics/main6447472.shtmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/30/politics/main6447472.shtmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/2994-501365_162-0.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/2994-501365_162-0.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/2994-501365_162-0.htmlhttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_tony_blankley/repeal_the_17th_amendmenthttp://www.cbsnews.com/2994-501365_162-0.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/30/politics/main6447472.shtmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/04/AR2010070404328.htmlhttp://books.google.com/books?id=6xEoo46Gu_AC&printsec=frontcover&dq=redefining+federalism+douglas+kendall&source=bl&ots=GlmYNTByI6&sig=y1sGVUT76yH4vnC3bDpKqBauHNk&hl=en&ei=Y1s_TMi-MYL78AbbqMm_Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false


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returningtohisunderstandingoftheFoundersintentwouldmeanscrappingalotofthe

Amendments.

TheCivilWarAmendmentsAfterfightingabloodycivilwaroverslaveryandbroadnotionsofstatesovereignty,

Wethe

People

made

sure

that

protecting

the

constitutional

rights

of

all

Americans

was

amongtheexpresspowersofthefederalgovernment. The13th

Amendmentabolished

slaverythecornerstoneoftheConfederacystrikingoutoftheConstitutiontheoppressive

systemthatmadeamockeryofourfoundingideals. The14th

Amendmentguaranteedall

Americanssubstantivefundamentalfreedomsandmadeequalityofallpersonsaconstitutional

right.The15th

Amendmentextendedthepromiseofthe14th

Amendment,securingtherightto

votetothenewlyfreedslaves. AllthreeAmendmentsgrantedbroadpowertoCongress,

providingashieldofnationalprotectiontoensurethatourcountrysfoundingpromiseof

freedomandequalityappliedtoall.

Written

against

the

backdrop

of

DredScott

v.

Sandford,

the

Supreme

Courts

ruling

that

helpedbringontheCivilWar,theseAmendmentswereratifiedtochangethebalanceof

powersbetweenthestatesandthefederalgovernmentandtoprovideCongresswiththetools

toprotecttherightsofallAmericans. TheframerswhowrotetheseAmendmentsdidnottrust

thestatestoprotectliberty,equality,andtherighttovote,andweremorethanalittle

suspiciousoftheSupremeCourt,whichhad,afterall,profoundlyerredinDredScott,announcingthatAfricanAmericanshadnorightswhichthewhitemanisboundtorespect.

Toensurethesenewconstitutionalprotectionswereeffective,Congresswasempoweredto

stepinwhenstatesthreatenedconstitutionalrightsandwhenstatesfailedtoprotect

Americansfromviolenceanddiscriminationbyprivateactors.

TheProgressiveEraAmendmentsDuringtheProgressiveEraoftheearly20

thCentury,theAmericanpeopleamendedthe

Constitutionagain,addingoncemoretothepowerofthefederalgovernment. The16th

and

17th

Amendments,ratifiedin1913,soughttoensurethatthefederalgovernmenthadthe

authoritytorestrainthepowerofcorporations,whoseoutsizedinfluencewasthreateningthe

Americanpeople.

The16th

AmendmentgaveCongresspowertoimposeaprogressiveincometax,

overturningabadlyreasoned1896SupremeCourtopinionthathadinvalidatedafederal

corporateincometax,and,asthedissentexplained,cripple[d]thejustpowersofthe

governmentin

the

essential

matter

of

taxation.

The

16

th

Amendment

settled

the

question

of

theconstitutionalityofprogressiveincometaxation,givingthefederalgovernmentthepower

tolayandcollectincometaxes,fromwhateversourcedderived.... TotheProgressiveEra

framers,progressivetaxationwasnotaformoftyrannytobestringentlychecked,butan

essentialandfairmeansforthefederalgovernmenttopromotethegeneralwelfareofall

Americans,andoftheNationitself.
http://www.theusconstitution.org/page_module.php?id=11&mid=6http://www.theusconstitution.org/page_module.php?id=11&mid=6http://www.theusconstitution.org/page_module.php?id=11&mid=6http://www.theusconstitution.org/page_module.php?id=11&mid=6http://www.theusconstitution.org/page_module.php?id=11&mid=6http://www.theusconstitution.org/page_module.php?id=11&mid=6http://www.theusconstitution.org/page_module.php?id=11&mid=6http://www.theusconstitution.org/page_module.php?id=11&mid=6


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The17th

AmendmentendedthepowerofstatelegislaturestoappointU.S.Senators,

givingtherighttovotedirectlytothepeopleandstrikingablowagainstcorporatedomination

oftheelectoralprocess. AsAkhilAmarhasshown,theframersofthe17th

Amendment

understoodthatgivingthevotetothepeoplewouldresultincleaner,lesscorrupt

government,andwouldcountertheundueeffectsoflargecorporations,monopolies,trusts,

andother

special

interest

groups

in

the

Senate

election

process.

Together,

the

two

Amendmentsexpandedthepowersofthefederalgovernmentandhelpedpavethewayfora

wholehostofmodernfinancial,economic,andcivilrightslegislationaimedatprotectingthe

rightsandinterestsofAmericansfromabusebycorporationsandotherbusinesses.

TheVotingRightsAmendmentsThe15

thAmendmentwasthefirsttosecuretherighttovoteasaconstitutionalright,

andseveralmorevotingrightsamendmentswereaddedduring the20th

Century,eachgiving

CongresstheprimaryroleinsecuringtherightsofAmericanstocastaballot,andaddingtothe

expresspowersofthefederalgovernment.

In1920,the19th

Amendmentgavewomentherighttovote;in1964,the24th

Amendmentabolishedtheuseofpolltaxesinfederalelections;andin1971,the26th

Amendmentgavetherighttovotetomenandwomenagedeighteenyearsorolder. Likethe

15th

Amendment,eachoftheseAmendmentsentruststhepowertoenforcetherighttovoteto

Congress,givingthefederalgovernmentbroadpowertosecuretherighttovoteandban

discriminationinvoting. TheAmendmentstogethermakevotingafundamentalrightof

AmericansandgiveCongresstheexpressauthoritytoensurethatAmericans,infact,havethe

abilitytoexercisethisfundamentalright.

ConclusionTheTeaPartyanditsstandardbearerscontinuetoassertinthemedia,inCongress,and

inthecourtsthatthefederalgovernmentissharplylimitedbytheConstitutionandtooweakto

actincrucialareasofpolicy,includingcivilrightsprotection,healthcarereform,environmental

protection,andcorporateregulation. ThetextandhistoryoftheConstitutionshowthese

claimstobefalse. FromthebroadandsubstantialpowersgrantedtoCongressinthe1787

Constitution,tothesweepingenforcementpowersaddedtotheConstitutioninthelasttwo

centuries,ourConstitutionestablishesafederalgovernmentthatisstrongenoughtoactwhen

thenationalinterestrequiresanationalsolutionorwhenfundamentalrightsareinfringed.

Therewillalwaysbegoodfaithdisagreementsabouttheproperinterpretationor

applicationof

provisions

of

the

Constitution,

but

if

Tea

Partiers

and

their

elected

allies

want

to

bethestandardbearersfortheConstitution,astheyclaim,theyshouldberequiredto

representtheactualConstitution,nottheArticlesofConfederationorthestrangebrewofaConstitutionAccordingtotheTeaParty. WhentheTeaPartiersconstitutionalclaimsdonot

standuptothetestoftheConstitutionstextandhistory,Americansshouldnothesitateto

speakupandpreventsuchpotentiallydangerousdistortionsofourNationscharter.

Documents

Setting the Record Straight: The Tea Party and the Constitutional Powers of the Federal Government