Today is more than just a canal’s birthday. It is a celebration of what the state governments can do when they rely on themselves and their own citizens instead of the federal government.
Maybe James Madison was correct in not signing the funding bill for the Erie canal and Maybe Thomas Jefferson was correct in assuming that Madisons veto was correct and the proper powers of the Federal government were constrained "forever" but, forever didn't last very long.
Strict adherence to the Constitution means that power hungry and greedy national legislators would not find meaning in the Constitution that wasn't intended by the founders. The general welfare clause would not become a catchall for the government to do pretty much anything it wanted.
The States would have all of the powers intended and the Federal government would have remained smaller and adhere to the rights and powers intended.
The current state of our nation would be as envisioned and we wouldn't have a country that hardly resembles a Constitutional Republic.
Betsy Tara Ross this is why I am so happy to see border states like ours and Arizona step up to protect the border. It's our border! We don't have to depend on DC. They've never worried about the border.
Oh I absolutely love this contrast! I have traveled this NY part of the canal with NY friends. What an experience. Everything is in good shape. Still works as planned and it was all done at state level with taxpayer cooperation and funding privately and personally. In comparison I remember, as we all should, the shambles of government programs where the people paying are not or were not consulted and are left with just another wasteful mess requiring clean up and further funding. Enough said I suppose. Thank you Tara for the history lesson. As you said:”hmm”.
I LOVE this historical story. We are a democratic republic. We the people have rights. Individualism , hard work, equal opportunities to fail and thrive. The people of New York stepped up and did the work, reaped the benefits. 🇺🇸🇺🇸
I learned something, again! Thank you Tara. Oh that our Federal leaders would follow this path instead of the path of wanting all to depend on the Feds for everything in our lives. I think this is just one more way Congress has taken powers from the States.
What a contrast between Madison's view of the Constitution and how it is viewed today. That one clause, " for the public welfare" certainly means something different today. There are still a few instances where either a company or state gets a job done without federal money or oversight. However, once the cash cow is tapped, the easy road is more free money.
Oh how far we have wandered from our own Constitution! As Madison said: “Such a view of the Constitution would have the effect of giving to Congress a general power of legislation instead of the defined and limited one hitherto understood to belong to them,” he wrote. The “permanent success of the Constitution,” he concluded, “depends on a definite partition of powers between the General and the State Governments.” SADLY, He would not recognize the government we have today!!
Makes you wonder how all of those Congressional representative who voted to appropriate the funds reconciled the bill with the Constitution when one clear thinking leader stopped them in their tracks. And it makes you wonder how we elect so many politicians who are either ignorant of the Constitution or simply are under the influence of special interests. Seems like the States want States Rights until it's not convenient much like corporations don't want government intervention until they need a bailout.
Maybe James Madison was correct in not signing the funding bill for the Erie canal and Maybe Thomas Jefferson was correct in assuming that Madisons veto was correct and the proper powers of the Federal government were constrained "forever" but, forever didn't last very long.
Strict adherence to the Constitution means that power hungry and greedy national legislators would not find meaning in the Constitution that wasn't intended by the founders. The general welfare clause would not become a catchall for the government to do pretty much anything it wanted.
The States would have all of the powers intended and the Federal government would have remained smaller and adhere to the rights and powers intended.
The current state of our nation would be as envisioned and we wouldn't have a country that hardly resembles a Constitutional Republic.
Thank you Tara. God help us.
We need James Madison’s and Thomas Jefferson’s today. Our politicians have no guts or principles.
Betsy Tara Ross this is why I am so happy to see border states like ours and Arizona step up to protect the border. It's our border! We don't have to depend on DC. They've never worried about the border.
Oh I absolutely love this contrast! I have traveled this NY part of the canal with NY friends. What an experience. Everything is in good shape. Still works as planned and it was all done at state level with taxpayer cooperation and funding privately and personally. In comparison I remember, as we all should, the shambles of government programs where the people paying are not or were not consulted and are left with just another wasteful mess requiring clean up and further funding. Enough said I suppose. Thank you Tara for the history lesson. As you said:”hmm”.
I LOVE this historical story. We are a democratic republic. We the people have rights. Individualism , hard work, equal opportunities to fail and thrive. The people of New York stepped up and did the work, reaped the benefits. 🇺🇸🇺🇸
The power to fund internal projects is not given to the federal government but
The Constitution!
WOW!!
Try to tell that to todays politicians as that is 99% of what they do today!
Look at the debt they have laid on our shoulders over the years!
Thank you Tara!!
Great article! Seems like states and cities can't do anything without a Federal grant -- legacy of the New Deal.
I learned something, again! Thank you Tara. Oh that our Federal leaders would follow this path instead of the path of wanting all to depend on the Feds for everything in our lives. I think this is just one more way Congress has taken powers from the States.
Excellent post.
It's a shame though, that “definite partition of powers” has been lost, with little chance of recovery.
What a contrast between Madison's view of the Constitution and how it is viewed today. That one clause, " for the public welfare" certainly means something different today. There are still a few instances where either a company or state gets a job done without federal money or oversight. However, once the cash cow is tapped, the easy road is more free money.
Great story, too bad our federal government just approves everything, instead or relying on states to do what is within their power.
Great post! Good to know that background.
New story for me on Madison. Thanks so much!
Oh how far we have wandered from our own Constitution! As Madison said: “Such a view of the Constitution would have the effect of giving to Congress a general power of legislation instead of the defined and limited one hitherto understood to belong to them,” he wrote. The “permanent success of the Constitution,” he concluded, “depends on a definite partition of powers between the General and the State Governments.” SADLY, He would not recognize the government we have today!!
Makes you wonder how all of those Congressional representative who voted to appropriate the funds reconciled the bill with the Constitution when one clear thinking leader stopped them in their tracks. And it makes you wonder how we elect so many politicians who are either ignorant of the Constitution or simply are under the influence of special interests. Seems like the States want States Rights until it's not convenient much like corporations don't want government intervention until they need a bailout.
HUZZAH HEROES!!! 🇺🇸