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

[80zephyr]

nope, you're factually incorrect. but hey, thanks for playing.

In what way is he incorrect?

 

[jc456]

In what way is he incorrect?

promotes special interests, or it meant welfare checks.

 

[80zephyr]

promotes special interests, or it meant welfare checks.

Either you are reading his statement wrong, or I am.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

You seem to overlook the “We the People” stuff

You just don't understand we the people or anything else.

 

[jc456]

Either you are reading his statement wrong, or I am.

What does it mean?

Interpretation: The Preamble | Constitution Center

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution...

constitutioncenter.org

As noted, the Preamble’s statements of purpose do not themselves grant powers or confer rights; the substantive provisions in the main body of the Constitution do that. There is not, for example, a general government power to do whatever it judges will “promote the general Welfare.” The national government’s powers are specified in Article I and other provisions of the Constitution, not the Preamble.

 

[80zephyr]

My response was because of your response to Woodznutz, he said: Our government, regardless of party, promotes special interests believing that it will help everyone (general welfare). How deluded can they be.

According to what I am reading, he does not believe general welfare covers special interests. Is that what you are reading?

 

[EvilCat Breath]

Democrats argue that "promote the general welfare" means that everyone gets a government check. That's like two bums in a homeless camp each demanding the other buy him a McDonald's.

 

[task0778]

IMHO, 'general welfare' means whatever is in the best interests of the people of the United States, as in everybody. For sure no matter what you do there will be some people who are helped but others who are not, you cannot please everybody. So, you do the best you can to promote the greater good for the most people, without regard to the political advantages or disadvantages. Human behavior being what it is, there's always going to be people in gov't who abuse their authority or power, which is why we have or are supposed to have a working system of checks and balances. And it's also why we have periodic elections to throw out the bad actors and a free press to tell us what the hell is going on. Sadly, it ain't working too good these days, and nobody is blameless.

 

[Woodznutz]

My response was because of your response to Woodznutz, he said: Our government, regardless of party, promotes special interests believing that it will help everyone (general welfare). How deluded can they be.

According to what I am reading, he does not believe general welfare covers special interests. Is that what you are reading?

Special interests could be a tool for promoting the general welfare, but rarely are. The parameters for the general welfare are always the health, wealth and safety of the citizens.

Our health is bad and getting worse.

Personal and collective debt is unsustainable. Each citizen's share of the Federal debt is over $100,000.

Also flying under the radar is state debt, which will be collected from citizens that will receive little or no benefit from those debts.

Debt by State 2026

www.datapandas.org

Defaults in credit card, mortgage, business loans, and student loan debts are also rising or rampant.

This is a complete failure of leadership at the federal, state, and even local level.

 

[jc456]

My response was because of your response to Woodznutz, he said: Our government, regardless of party, promotes special interests believing that it will help everyone (general welfare). How deluded can they be.

According to what I am reading, he does not believe general welfare covers special interests. Is that what you are reading?

he said it.

 

[jc456]

Special interests could be a tool for promoting the general welfare, but rarely are. The parameters for the general welfare are always the health, wealth and safety of the citizens.

Our health is bad and getting worse.

Personal and collective debt is unsustainable. Each citizen's share of the Federal debt is over $100,000.

Also flying under the radar is state debt, which will be collected from citizens that will receive little or no benefit from those debts.

Debt by State 2026

www.datapandas.org

Defaults in credit card, mortgage, business loans, and student loan debts are also rising or rampant.

This is a complete failure of leadership at the federal, state, and even local level.

still doesn't say give away tax money to low lives.

 

[rightwinger]

You just don't understand we the people or anything else.

Afraid I do Skippy

We the People are the reason Government exists

 

[rightwinger]

Democrats argue that "promote the general welfare" means that everyone gets a government check. That's like two bums in a homeless camp each demanding the other buy him a McDonald's.

Conservatives are so simple minded

They think “welfare” means Government aid
What it means is do things for the well being of the country.

 

[John Edgar Slow Horses]

You just don't understand we the people or anything else.

You have described your ilk.

You have shown you have no clue.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Conservatives are so simple minded

They think “welfare” means Government aid
What it means is do things for the well being of the country.

RW is not welfare govt aid whether it be federal state or local?...

 

[jc456]

You have described your ilk.

You have shown you have no clue.

and yet, you said fking nothing.

 

[rightwinger]

RW is not welfare govt aid whether it be federal state or local?...

General Welfare means do what is best for the country

It can mean build a bridge, build a school, help old people, help veterans, subsidize farmers, protect the steel industry……even help poor people

It means do what needs doing

 

[John Edgar Slow Horses]

Robert W. receives his SS and Medicare and VA. Government. (Thank you for your service, sir).

He gets his state breaks. Government.

And so forth.

 

[jc456]

Robert W. receives his SS and Medicare and VA. Government. (Thank you for your service, sir).

He gets his state breaks. Government.

And so forth.

technically, you are lost yet again, the SS and Medicare comes from we the people's investment. It is our money, not the guberments.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

General Welfare means do what is best for the country

It can mean build a bridge, build a school, help old people, help veterans, subsidize farmers, protect the steel industry……even help poor people

It means do what needs doing

Nonsense. For one thing the kind of people who lived at that time did not practice nor support most of your drivel. Build a bridge, yes. Care for the old, the poor, even widows and orphans, not on your life. Take care of yourself, go to your family, go to your church, go to a noblesse oblige charity. The government didn't care.

That's what made us such a strong country. We were a stronger people.