What did our founders really mean when they said “general welfare”?

[rightwinger]

Because it's ye Olde English....250 years ago.
General welfare is about the government making decisions that are not necessarily popular but are necessary for the welfare of the people. Under such a concept controlled substances are controlled.

You still make no sense

 

[AZrailwhale]

a simple cost of living issue that is being addressed through the minimum wage.

You haven’t noticed that raises in minimum wage are matched in raises of. Costs?

 

[JohnDB]

You still make no sense

Then I recommend that you go to some remedial English classes to assist in reading comprehension.

 

[lafayette]

Then I recommend that you go to some remedial English classes to assist in reading comprehension.

Really, take your own advice. It's good for one like you.

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

If you voted for Trump there’s a good chance you’re a lot like me with regard to why....I voted for him on two policies almost exclusively...First and foremost on how he would deal with illegal Mexicans and the border and second on how he would yank lowlifes off the Democrat induced welfare plantation.
Anyhoo, as we approach the point where welfare reform will be visited I ask for your opinions on EXACTLY what you think our founders meant when they used the phrase “GENERAL WELFARE” in the constitution?

Attention all Smartest Guys In The Room, and legal scholars:
Please spare us the case citations such as the U.S. vs Butler case and the like. I’m interested in YOUR opinions.

Army Generals are gods and must be treated as such

 

[rightwinger]

Then I recommend that you go to some remedial English classes to assist in reading comprehension.

I understand your words

They just make no sense

 

[lafayette]

Its' JohnDB word salad.

 

[JohnDB]

Its' JohnDB word salad.

It's not....it's basic english..

Look up the definition of welfare in a dictionary. It's not a Noun. It's not an adverb either.

 

[Unkotare]

It's not....it's basic english.. [sic]
...

English. Learn it.

 

[there4eyeM]

Just a reminder; words are symbols, not objects. They represent thoughts. Thoughts are not fixed. Thinking and the use of the symbols we call words cannot pass through time without evolving, mutating. Their very use changes the environment in which they exist and that alone provokes at least subtle nuance to meaning.
What "they" meant by "welfare" hundreds of years ago may no longer be precisely accessible to our thinking. We have to use our judgement and powers of evaluation to properly apply the best solutions in order to maximize human experience.

 

[zaangalewa]

Just a reminder; words are symbols, not objects. They represent thoughts. Thoughts are not fixed. Thinking and the use of the symbols we call words cannot pass through time without evolving, mutating. Their very use changes the environment in which they exist and that alone provokes at least subtle nuance to meaning.
What "they" meant by "welfare" hundreds of years ago may no longer be precisely accessible to our thinking. We have to use our judgement and powers of evaluation to properly apply the best solutions in order to maximize human experience.

Some people give me hope that mankind is not lost because of stupidity.Thanks.

 

[rightwinger]

Just a reminder; words are symbols, not objects. They represent thoughts. Thoughts are not fixed. Thinking and the use of the symbols we call words cannot pass through time without evolving, mutating. Their very use changes the environment in which they exist and that alone provokes at least subtle nuance to meaning.
What "they" meant by "welfare" hundreds of years ago may no longer be precisely accessible to our thinking. We have to use our judgement and powers of evaluation to properly apply the best solutions in order to maximize human experience.

Welfare meant well being hundreds of years ago
Still does today

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Welfare meant well being hundreds of years ago
Still does today

It did not mean free money for the masses,

 

[rightwinger]

It did not mean free money for the masses,

Money to those who need help is good for the general welfare of the country

 

[80zephyr]

Money to those who need help is good for the general welfare of the country

That is specific welfare, not general welfare.

 

[rightwinger]

That is specific welfare, not general welfare.

No piece of legislation affects all citizens equally

 

[RetiredGySgt]

No piece of legislation affects all citizens equally

If the intent of that phrase was to give unlimited power to the legislature, they never would have specified what powers it actually had following it.

 

[dblack]

The question isn't what "general welfare" means. That's somewhat irrelevant. The question is what the entire clause means, in particular whether it's an "implied power" to spend money and legislate, or whether it's simply enumerating the power to tax. The authors of the Constitution were very clear on the matter (eg Federalist Papers #41). It was not a broad general power to spend and legislate.

But after everyone had signed off on the Constitution, Hamilton equivocated on the matter, and lawyered up the current (mis)-interpretation. He wanted a more powerful government, and eventually he got his way.

Article I, Section 8, Clause 1:

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

 

[rightwinger]

If the intent of that phrase was to give unlimited power to the legislature, they never would have specified what powers it actually had following it.

Congress was tasked to do what was right for “We the People”
The Founders never intended to tell future generations how to respond to the challenges they faced

 

[dblack]

The Founders never intended to tell future generations how to respond to the challenges they faced

With regard to the scope and power of government, they intended to do exactly that. The whole point of the Constitution was to make it clear what we were signing up for with the new government - so that it wasn't just a blind agreement to be "ruled". It promised us that government would stay limited to certain powers and wouldn't become a majority rules free-for-all.