Quote: Originally Posted by
jillian
Because of course post industrial revolution government shouldn't make sure employees don't die because of conditions at work (OSHA); kids get educated; food and drugs allowed into commerce are safe for consumers (FDA)... nah...
why would government actuallydo things in accordance with the necessary and proper clause.
you know, i get the whole "libertarian" thing... and in an agrarian society, it might be correct in large measure; but in the real, modern world, it simply doesn't fly b/c government, at least in accordance with OUR consitution, gets to operate for the welfare of it's people.
Libertarianism gives me diarrhea.
If local and state governments want to do those things they are within their rights to do so. Yet, one minute you screech to have education centralized at the federal level, the next minute you screech that a fundie might head the federal government.
Here's an interesting thought: if you took away all the federal programs not enumerated (to which the proper and necessary clause applies) you wouldn't have to worry about red-state fundies running your schools from Washington DC. ou can have you blue state education and the red staters can have theirs. Each can learn from the others successes and failures because--believe it or not--even fundies want their kids to excell at science, reading, math etc. And when one system screws up it doesn't take a national mandate to fix it, only a state or local election.
As for OSHA, the FDA etc...
I've said that if two people want to sell flour for 1 dollar for every 10 pounds it is all well and good for the gov't to say what flour is. That way if the consumer finds chalk dust in his flour he has legal recourse because he was defrauded. It also protects the business because he cannot be subjected to frivilous suits if the gov't gives him a firm definition of flour.
On OSHA, if the gov't, cosumers, and employees want to sit down and agree that Standard X is sufficient for a reasonably safe work environment the employer is free of liability if he operates within that standard even if an employee is injured.
"Weights and measures" are enumerated in the constitution but you need to seriously remember the fact that politics are cyclical. You should only enact such laws as you would leave to your worst enemy. My sig below is a coarse way of making you realize that fact. The more of your life you consign to government the more you surrender you freedom. Do it on a federal level and it takes far too long to affect change. Be very, very, very careful of what you wish for.