Fellow American Patriots –
First, why has our political process gone so far awry that we see continual, yearly deficits on the order of $1.5 trillion in the U.S. Government’s budget?
Second, what is the CONSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT TAX (the CST)? (www.constittuionalsupporttax.net).
Third, what is it in the structure of the CST that will permanently end what has been a decades old Federal overspending, deficit and debt growth problem?
Begin with question one. The misuse of Article I, Section 8, Paragraphs 1 (I-8-1), 2 (I-8-2), 5 (I-8-5) and the 16th Amendment of the Constitution has been instrumental in creating and worsening the Federal financial catastrophe.
These are the "Big Four" pillars of the Federal Government’s monopoly control over its own funding. See comments on the Big Four below.
Thinking that is the antithesis of the Founding Fathers mindset about the U.S. Government being a LIMITED entity has taken root in all three branches (Executive, Legislative, and Judicial) of the U.S. Government.
The people subscribing to this antithetical thinking have become deeply entwined in the operation of all three branches. The on-going administration of the Government in accordance with this antithetical thinking has been central to precipitating the financial catastrophe.
Number 1 of 4 of the "Big Four." How have the provisions of the Constitution been misused? A careful reading of Paragraph I-8-1 shows that it has no limits or controls over the process of raising money, or how much is raised. I-8-1 reads:
"The Congress shall have the 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;"
Unfortunately, however, this is where I-8-1 ends. To have limits and controls on the amount of money that can be raised through I-8-1, a statement similar to the following should be added: IN ANY CALENDAR YEAR WHERE THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT OF TAX, IMPOST AND EXCISE COLLECTIONS EXCEED 10% OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP), CONGRESS, BY APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION, SHALL RETURN TO THE CITIZENRY, THE EXCESS OVER THE 10% OF GDP WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF THE EXCESS.
Number 2 of 4 of the "Big Four." Paragraph I-8-2 states:
"To borrow money on the credit of the United States." This is the end of the paragraph.
As with I-8-1, to place limits and controls on the amount of money that could be borrowed, wording similar to the following should be added: AT THE END OF ANY FISCAL YEAR, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF AGGREGATE OUTSTANDING DEBT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED 35% OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT OF THE PRIOR ENDING CALENDAR YEAR. CONGRESS SHALL HAVE THE POWER AND WILL BE REQUIRED TO USE THAT POWER, TO ENFORCE THIS ARTICLE BY APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION.
If the Founding Fathers could have looked 200 years into the future to see the monstrosity the Federal Government has become, it would not be a surprise if they had written something like the CAPITALIZED additions above into the Constitution.
Number 3 of 4 of the "Big Four." Paragraph I-8-5 authorizes Congress "To coin Money, and regulate the Value thereof,...." This power has effectively been ceded to the Federal Reserve Bank. The Federal Reserve is essentially a legalized producer of counterfeit money used to keep the expansion of the Federal Government continuing, and continuing, and continuing.
Number 4 of 4 of the "Big Four." The 16th Amendment (the Income Tax) is a tool of the Government, with the supreme Law of the Land behind it, to reach into the pocket of every working and/or investing American. With the police power of the state behind it, the Government takes more and more money from the kitchen table family budget, for purposes that often do not comply with the Preamble to the Constitution, or the Founders intent for a LIMITED Federal Government.
Now on to the second question. What is the CONSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT TAX (the CST)? (
The following four points summarize the CST. They are:
1. The CST will repeal the power Congress currently has to lay and collect Taxes, Imposts and Excises listed in Article 1, Section 8, paragraph 1 of the Constitution, as well as the 16th Amendment.
2. Paragraph 2, giving Congress power to borrow money would also be repealed.
3. Once Congress sets the Federal Budget each year, the amount will be divided among the States by a formula that is fair to all States. This five-part formula is explained on the website in the HOW IT WORKS section.
4. At the State level, the people and State officials would decide how to pay their State's mandatory share of the Budget.
These four will be discussed in greater detail as the posting goes on. But first, a brief review of history should prove helpful.
The Federal Government established by the Constitution was a unique entity. It was a first-time-in-human-history structure of representative self-governance. It was designed to limit the danger to liberty by dividing and dispersing power among its units and the States.
In theory, the separation-of-powers structure (Executive, Legislative, and Judicial) in the Constitution provides multiple checks and balances that maintain a dispersion of power within the Government.
A further check on power was a division of functions between the Federal and State Governments. This functional division was stated in pro-Constitution Federalist Paper 45 written by James Madison. It reads:
"The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce; with which last the POWER OF TAXATION will, for the most part, be connected. The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State." (The Federalist Papers, Pgs. 292-3, ISBN 0-451-62541-2.)
It is clear to any common sense reader that money is necessary to operate a governmental unit, whether the Federal Government or a small village.
However, in the past 10 years, and especially since early 2009, the pace of Federal Government spending and expansion has accelerated to a world-land-speed-record pace.
Further, it should be abundantly clear to any observer that MONEY, and the easy access to it through the "Big Four" mentioned above is the element that has kept the whole ever-expanding, anti-constitutional growth of the U.S. Government going.
The third question. What is it in the structure of the CST that will permanently end what has been a decades old Federal overspending, deficit and debt growth problem?
With the CST in place, the Federal Government will no longer have the power to raise money through taxation or borrowing. This means that, yearly, over two trillion in what is now taxes will now go back into the pockets of the American people. $1.5 trillion in borrowed money will be back in the back in the hands of all types of lenders and investors.
From a reading of the Preamble to the Constitution, and the above quote from Federalist 45, it is clear that there are legitimate expenditures for the Federal Government. These are heavily centered on "common Defence," and little else.
There will be no more yearly Federal deficit. The States will provide all money needed to pay for yearly Federal spending to the Federal Government.
A new "structural balance" between the States and the People on one side, and the Federal Government on the other will develop. This new structural balance will keep considerable pressure on the Federal Government to keep spending down.
Why will this be true? Very few people, States, or units of local government will accept money being surrendered to the Federal Government, except for spending that can be shown to be constitutionally compliant.
Under the CST it will be mandatory for each State to pay its ratable share of the Federal Budget. (Please read the five-part formula for dividing the Budget among the States on the website under HOW IT WORKS.)
However, a vast "national army" of citizens, state governments, local governments and other across the USA will want to keep the money that had been going to the Federal Government close to home.
Question: Can you see any member of Congress wanting to make enemies with this national army by presenting a Federal Budget to the country that is as wasteful as the recent ones and "demand" the money to fund it? Remember the "Feds" will no longer have the power to take and take and take money from taxes, borrowing and the Federal Reserve money printing press.
Fellow Americans, our country is like an airliner that is flying along at 20,000 feet. One-half hour ahead on the flight plan is a 22,000-foot mountain. The pilot, on short order, should get permission to climb to 25,000 feet. If he doesn’t, the end is 100% sure.
Please re-read the website. Re-read this blog. Give it some time to "mentally digest." You will see that I am right in this analysis.
The Federal Government simply cannot handle money. We the People, through the States, must place the Feds a very tight allowance that WE control.
The CST will achieve this end. If you agree please spread the word about it far and wide.