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CONSTITUTIONOMICS Welcome!!!
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS Welcome!!! What is “Constitutionomics”?
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS A Seminar About The United States Constitution and Economics
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS The United States Constitution Provides a Framework of Limited Government in which Free Enterprise Can Thrive.
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS It is this System of Free Enterprise, or Free Markets, that in just a few short years made America the Greatest Nation in the History of the World.
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS Today, we are going to discuss how FREEDOM is interrelated with PROSPERITY.
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS FREEDOM is Important for the Sake of Freedom Itself.
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS We All Want to be Free to Go Where We Want to Go, Do What We Want to Do, Say What We Want to Say, And Decide Who We Go With.
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS We All Want to be Free to ….
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS We All Want to be Free to …. CHOOSE!!!
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS When People are also Free to Invest their Time, their Talent, and their Treasure into a Business Venture, the Whole Country Prospers even though some of the Ventures Fail.
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS It is The Constitution of the United States that has Provided not only the Personal Freedoms We Cherish; But also a Climate Where People Can Invest in Business With a High Chance of Succeeding.
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS “The chief business of the American people is business.” --Calvin Coolidge
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS Regarding Coolidge: "No public man carried into modern times more comprehensively the founding principles of Americanism: hard work, frugality, freedom of conscience, freedom from government, respect for serious culture." Paul Johnson, A History of the American People
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS When the Constitution is Violated; Personal Freedoms are Diminished And Opportunities for Investment and Entrepreneurship Dry Up, and the Whole Country Suffers.
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CONSTITUTIONOMICS My Part Today is to Teach the Principles upon which our Nation (or Nations) was built, as Embodied in the United States Constitution.
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PART 1 THE WISDOM OF THE AGES AND ORIGINAL INTENT
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The Only Way to Understand What Our Founders Intended as they Composed the Constitution is to Read What They Read, and What They Said.
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THE WISDOM OF THE AGES AND ORIGINAL INTENT Today, It is sadly Fashionable to Denigrate the Founders … Let’s Talk About That
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THE WISDOM OF THE AGES AND ORIGINAL INTENT Today, It is sadly Fashionable to Denigrate the Founders … Let’s Talk About That Our Founders Were Experts on History and Human Nature
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THE WISDOM OF THE AGES AND ORIGINAL INTENT Our Founders Were Experts on History and Human Nature What Did Our Founders Believe About Government?
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THE WISDOM OF THE AGES Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. George Washington
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THE WISDOM OF THE AGES Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny. Thomas Jefferson
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THE WISDOM OF THE AGES There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty. John Adams
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THE WISDOM OF THE AGES It is proper to take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties. We hold this prudent jealousy to be the first duty of citizens, and one of the noblest characteristics of the late Revolution. The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
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THE WISDOM OF THE AGES Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions. Wherever there is interest and power to do wrong, wrong will generally be done. James Madison
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THE WISDOM OF THE AGES The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse. Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of freedoms of the people by gradual and silent encroachment of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations. James Madison
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THE WISDOM OF THE AGES Good intentions will always be pleaded for any assumption of power. The Constitution was made to safeguard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. Daniel Webster (not exactly a founder… I know :-)
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Is It?
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Is It? It Is a Binding Legal Agreement (Contract)
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Is It? It Is a Binding Legal Agreement (Contract) The Parties Are The Separate States, The People in Those States, Their Descendants and the Newly Re-Created United States Government
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Is It? It Is a Contract The Parties Are The Separate States, The People in Those States, Their Descendants and the Newly Re-Created United States Government Our Founders Created a “General” Government to Handle Only a Few Areas that the States Could Not Reasonably Manage
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Is It? It Is a Contract Our Founders Created a “General” Government to Handle Only a Few Areas that the States Could Not Reasonably Manage They Created a Government of the States, by the States, and for the States
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Is It? It Is a Contract They Created a Government of the States, by the States, and for the States They created a Government to Serve Them. They would never have intended to Create a Government to Dictate to Them.
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Is It? It Is a Binding Legal Agreement The Parties Are The Separate States, The People in Those States, and the Newly Re-Created United States Government What Does a Legal Agreement Mean? It Means What the Parties to the Agreement Meant for It to Mean at the Time that They Agreed to It.
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Does It Mean?
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Does It Mean? What Did the Parties Mean for It to Mean?
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Does It Mean? What Did the Parties Mean for It to Mean? To Form a “More Perfect Union”
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Does It Mean? What Did the Parties Mean for It to Mean? To Form a “More Perfect Union” More Perfect Than What?
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Does It Mean? What Did the Parties Mean for It to Mean? To Form a “More Perfect Union” More Perfect Than What? More Perfect Than Our First Constitution
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Does It Mean? What Did the Parties Mean for It to Mean? To Form a “More Perfect Union” More Perfect Than What? More Perfect Than Our First Constitution A Stronger Alliance of Independent Nation-States
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Does It Mean? What Did the Parties Mean for It to Mean? To Form a “More Perfect Union” A Stronger Alliance of Independent Nation-States The Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation, The Treaty of Paris and The United States Constitution refer to the “States,” often by name.
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Does It Mean? What Did the Parties Mean for It to Mean? To Form a “More Perfect Union” A Stronger Alliance of Independent Nation- States The Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation, The Treaty of Paris and The United States Constitution refer to the “States,” often by name. “United States” was intended to be Plural and is used that way every time in these documents.
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT What Does It Mean? What Did the Parties Mean for It to Mean? To Form a “More Perfect Union” More Perfect Than What? More Perfect Than Our First Constitution A Stronger Alliance of Independent Nation-States Stronger, but Strictly Limited (Cabined)
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution)
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution) External Evidence (The Ratifying Documents, Comments of the Writers, Other Underlying Documents)
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution) Article I, Section 1, Clause 1 (1.1.1 in the Modern Version): “All legislative Powers herein granted…”
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution) “All legislative Powers herein granted…” “Powers” are delegated authority.
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution) “All legislative Powers herein granted…” “Powers” are delegated authority. The “Authorities” are the People.
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution) “All legislative Powers herein granted…” “Powers” are delegated authority. The “Authorities” are the People. Only People are ever said to have “Rights.”
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution) “All legislative Powers herein granted…” “Powers” are delegated authority. The “Authorities” are the People. Only People are ever said to have “Rights.” Rights are “unalienable” (Given by God).
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution) “All legislative Powers herein granted…” “Powers” are delegated authority. The “Authorities” are the People. Only People are ever said to have “Rights.” Rights are “unalienable” (Given by God). Governments are NEVER said to have Rights.
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution) Article I, Section 1, Clause 1 (1.1.1 in the Modern Version): “All legislative Powers herein granted…” Article I, Section 8: “The Enumerated Powers” Why Number Them if They are to be Unlimited?
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution) Article I, Section 1, Clause 1: “herein granted” Article I, Section 8: “The Enumerated Powers” 1.8.18: “…necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers…”
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution) Article I, Section 1, Clause 1: “herein granted” Article I, Section 8: “The Enumerated Powers” 1.8.18: “…the foregoing Powers…” Article 6, Section2: “This Constitution, and the Laws… made in Pursuance thereof… shall be the supreme Law of the Land…
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution) Article I, Section 1, Clause 1: “herein granted” Article I, Section 8: “The Enumerated Powers” 1.8.18: “…the foregoing Powers…” Article 6, Section2: “Laws… in Pursuance thereof” 10 th Amendment
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? Internal Evidence (The Text of the Constitution) External Evidence (The Ratifying Documents, Comments of the Writers, Other Underlying Documents)
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? External Evidence (The Ratifying Documents, Comments of the Writers, Other Underlying Documents) Notes of the Convention
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? External Evidence (The Ratifying Documents, Comments of the Writers, Other Underlying Documents) Notes of the Convention Federalist Papers
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? External Evidence (The Ratifying Documents, Comments of the Writers, Other Underlying Documents) Notes of the Convention Federalist Papers Anti-Federalist Papers
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT How Do We Know That It Was To Be Strictly Limited? External Evidence (The Ratifying Documents, Comments of the Writers, Other Underlying Documents) Notes of the Convention Federalist Papers Anti-Federalist Papers Ratifying Documents
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT The powers dedicated to the proposed government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the state governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation and foreign commerce… The powers reserved to the several states will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties and prosperities of the people, and the internal order and improvement of the states. James Madison Federalist, No. 45
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT Summary The Constitution is a Contract or Agreement that bound together 13 (now 50) sovereign Nation-States in a mutual defense pact like NATO, and a free-trade zone like EEC or NAFTA ( A More Perfect Union).
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES – ORIGINAL INTENT Summary The Constitution is a Contract or Agreement that bound together 13 (now 50) sovereign Nation-States in a mutual defense pact like NATO, and a free-trade zone like EEC or NAFTA ( A More Perfect Union). Why is it Important to Limit the Government to this Contract?
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THE WISDOM OF THE AGES The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first. Thomas JeffersonEnd Part 1
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