Don’t Trust Anyone Running for Office

Yes, and so are all the other presidential candidates; and all the other politicians; and all political parties; and all political systems! Throughout human history, and regardless of the label under which any have operated, every political system has been premised on the arrogated authority to preempt decision making over the lives and property interests of individuals. This is the implicit meaning of “eminent domain”: the state is the ultimate owner of all within its boundaries.

In this sense, King George III was a socialist, as were the colonials who became the “Founding Fathers” and expelled the British (if you doubt this, ask what became of the lives and properties of Loyalists at the end of the Revolutionary War!) The American Civil War was fought by two socialist camps: the North against the South, each of whom claimed the authority to impose their wills upon the lives and granted the authority “to lay and collect taxes,” “to provide for the common defense and general welfare,” to “regulate commerce,” and to “make all laws which shall be necessary and proper” for carrying out such purposes, one would be hard-pressed to identify any action on my part that would exceed the bounds of my powers. “Lay and collect taxes?” In what amount, and for what ends? When the first post-16^th Amendment federal income tax was proposed – a measure which, as I recall, imposed a 1% tax on incomes over $10,000 – opponents of the measure argued that nothing could keep Congress from imposing a 10% tax on all incomes. Those supporting the tax accused opponents of using scare tactics; that if the federal tax ever rose to 10%, there would be rioting in the streets!

And who – but myself – will decide which threats require a “common defense,” the foundations of the war-making system that will grind up your children and grandchildren? Furthermore,  which programs – and by what criteria – would promote the “general welfare”? Who would decide this? As the power to “regulate commerce” encompasses the entirety of the economic life of the nation – and, thus, affects the “general welfare,” would I not be empowered to “make all laws which shall be necessary and proper” for achieving whatever noble ends I select?

As words, by their nature, are abstractions that require interpretation to any set of circumstances, it may be argued that my constitutionally-derived powers must be further defined. But who is to identify such meanings? Who is to interpret the scope of the state’s powers? In the constitutional scheme of things, the U.S. Supreme Court – in the landmark case of Marbury v. Madison – usurped such authority unto itself. The government, in other words, became the judge of its own authority! There is no language in the Constitution that even remotely confers such powers on the courts, legislature, or executive branch of government!

Add to my above-listed powers the authority to interpret the meaning of such abstractions, as well as the awareness that we are all self-interest motivated, then ask yourself: would you be prepared to place into my hands your life, liberty, or property interests? Is there any announced presidential candidate – or candidate for any other political office – to whom you would entrust your interests? Hillary? Donald? Lindsey? Jeb? And would you be particularly opposed to the candidacy of Bernie Sanders because, unlike the others, he at least has the honesty to admit to what he is?