Originally Posted by
ppilot
Well, the 'general welfare' clause was pretty much the basis for my whole opinion.
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 State
I'm not a constitutional scholar or anything, but it's pretty clear to me, and it was pretty clear (7-2) to the Supreme Court as well.
I salute you for making giving important in your life. I have too, and I'm convinced that every dollar I've given has come back to me. But there's a problem with giving too. I give to the causes that I support. As do you, I'm sure. But this leads to a 'tyranny of the majority' situation. You say you give a significant percentage to your church, which I'm sure is what most people do as well. This doesn't benefit non-churchgoers at all. Or suppose I decide to do all of my charitable giving to PETA. This doesn't benefit needy PEOPLE at all.
And this is all fine and good. People should be able to give to what they want to give, because it's not THEIR JOB to take care of the citizens of the country, and it's not THEIR JOB to stabilize society. It's the government's job. And I'm sorry, but no system of voluntary giving will ever be able to replace that.
What 7-2 supreme court decision are you refering to?
If all your eggs are in the general welfare clause basket, what exactly constitutes the "general welfare of the United States"? Does it mean some citizens are entitled to live off the labor of others? If so, who, under what circumstances and to what extent? Just when did this "right" become effective? Were the politicians a hundred years ago just more "stingy" than those today? Where does the general welfare clause end? When we come to the point where "from each according to his ability and to each according to his need" is the law of the land?
You are dead wrong when you say giving to churches does not benefit non-church goers. Most churches I know do not restrict their giving to church-goers.
If you want to give all your money to PETA or whatever, fine with me. You are free to do so. I have NO RIGHT to dicate to you what you do with the fruit of YOUR labor and you have NO RIGHT to dictate what I do with MINE.
We used to have a saying in the US of A: "it's a FREE country" Sadly, that is being threatened by those who wish to exercise dominion over their fellow citizens through extra-constitutional taxation, instrusive, burdensome regulation and the naivete of its ever-growing population of well-meaning, but sadly misguided do-gooders.
You say you're not a Constitutional scholar. May I suggest a good book for you to read? Liberty and Tyrrany by Mark Levin. Maybe the most important book you'll ever read.