5 ms·

The very first sentence of section 8: "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the

• hellojesus 3y ago
  You stopped short. You quoted the first paragraph but not the the supporting clauses. In fact, that preamble then goes into enumerating the specific federal powers. If it was enough to say that taxes, duties, and excises could be levied and collected to pay for "common defense and general welfare", Section 8 would conclude with that sentence. There would be no need to follow that with explicit ennumerations. Furthermore, we have a federalist government wherein we have a federal government with limited power. 10A wouldn't exist if this wasn't the case. Allowing the federal gov to tax for "general welfare" gives it unlimited power, which contradicts the very structure of the government. Proper intro to S1A8: """ The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; To borrow money on the credit of the United States; To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes; To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States; ... """