Guy made this statement over on the Inside Texas Political board... Anybody have any examples of what essential services the govt provided in 1776?
:idea: That statement is absurd. As far as I remember, the Constitution provides for an army, a navy and a post office. All three predate not only the Constitution, but the Declaration of Independence in 1776 as well. Public services such as schools, hospitals, and charities for the poor were provided by the Christian churches... BTW- the American Revolution was a revolt against taxes. Great Britain attempted to force the Americans to pay for the French & Indian War without raising taxes on their own voters. Their theory was that there was nothing the Americans could do, because they couldn't vote in British elections. This created an uprising of conservative business men both north (Hancock, Morris, Adams, Franklin etc) and south (Washington, Jefferson, Laurens etc.) The two richest men in the colonies were probably Washington and Hancock...
Absurd indeed....hell, the Founding Fathers didn't want any real central government. The Articles of Confederation and the battle royale that was the adoption of the Constitution are clear evidence of their views on any central government. They argued incessantly about even the notion of funding a standing army.....the concept of socialism was contrary to the very essence of our founding principles. Evidence some of Jefferson's thoughts.... 1) Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want bread. 2) I think myself that we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious. 3)I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them 4) The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. 5) Most bad government has grown out of too much government. 6) To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical. As I have stated before, one of the greatest political catastrophes of all time is that this administration has been able to convince much of the electorate that the fundamental principles upon which our nation was founded are now radical right wing views! :shock:
Although the Articles of Confederation were woefully weak in providing the states the vehicle that they needed to provide protection against the threats to their frontier raised by Britan and Spain and the ability to raise the money needed to pay off the debts incurred during the Revolutionary War, it wasn't until Shay's Rebellion that the States faced the need to change their governmental scheme. The participants in the rebellion wanted to take over the courts and local governmental government and redistribute the wealth. It was in response to this first attempt at Socialism that spurred the Founding Fathers to create the Constitution. (of course the Founding Fathers defined voters as males who paid taxes. They understood the value of restricting voting to "those having a skin in the game.)