I don't see a distinction? The right to do something is both positive and negative. You have the right to do the thing, and the right to not have the government

I don't see a distinction? The right to do something is both positive and negative. You have the right to do the thing, and the right to not have the government stop you. Nobody's permission is needed; government or another person The American perspective only assigns enumerated rights to enumerated people. People are assumed to not have rights when the constitution does not apply, or it does not specify the right. The government grants Americans those rights, the people don't have them by virtue of existing. Otherwise, the government could not spy on other countries, since those people would have 4th amendment rights. The same goes for the right to drive, which the government is perfectly allowed to infringe on since it is not specified in the document.