Trump Fires the Constitution

Trump Fires the Constitution 

By

James Scott Trimm

In the recent Wisconsin Town Hall Meeting Donald Trump was asked what are the three most important roles of the Federal Government.  His answer absolutely shocked me!  His answer was: security, education and healthcare… and when asked further, he even added “housing” to the list of major roles for the Federal Government.

OK I get security, that is clearly a power delegated to the Federal Government in Article I Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.  However nowhere does the U.S. Constitution delegate powers to the Federal Government to regulate education, healthcare or housing!  Even Andreson Cooper was shocked by Trump’s answer!  

Article 10 of the US Constitution clearly reads:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Since the U.S. Constitution does not delegate authority to the Federal Government to regulate education and healthcare, that authority is reserved to the states or the people, which means the Federal Government has no such power!

There were plenty of delegated powers in Article I Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution that would have been valid answers to the question Trump was given, but the answer he gave shows that he has no regard for the U.S. Constitution and no interest in restraining the out of control Federal Government which continues to usurp powers not delegated to it.

The 2012 National GOP Platform stated proudly:

We are the party of the

Constitution, the solemn

compact which confirms our

God-given individual rights and

assures that all Americans stand

equal before the law.

The 2012 platform says:

We support the review and examination of all

federal agencies to eliminate wasteful spending, operational

inefficiencies, or abuse of power to determine

whether they are performing functions that are

better performed by the States. These functions, as

appropriate, should be returned to the States in accordance

with the Tenth Amendment of the United

States Constitution. We affirm that all legislation,

rules, and regulations must conform and public servants

must adhere to the U.S. Constitution, as originally

intended by the Framers. Whether such

legislation is a State or federal matter must be determined

in accordance with the Tenth Amendment, in

conjunction with Article I, Section 8.

After citing the 10^th amendment the platform says:

In fidelity to that principle, we condemn the current

Administration’s continued assaults on State governments

in matters ranging from voter ID laws to

immigration, from healthcare programs to land use

decisions.

Yet Trump says that “healthcare” for him is a major role of the Federal Government!

While Trump maintains education is a major role of the Federal Government, the  2012 RNC platform says concerning education:

Parents are responsible for the education of their

children. We do not believe in a one size fits all approach

to education and support providing broad education

choices to parents and children at the State

and local level.

And in fact Republicans have called for an end to the US Department of Education as an undelegated power-grab of the Federal Government ever since it was created under the Carter administration! 

As for “healthcare”, while Trump calls for an end to Obamacare, its not for the reason that Conservatives have done so.  Conservatives maintain that the Federal Government has no delegated powers in this area under the U.S. Constitution, and that under the 10^th amendment, such powers are retained by the people an the state.  Trump says he wants to replace Obamacare with something "better", and his something "better" <gulp> involves getting rid of the lines around the states!   

Trump wants to directly attack state sovereignty and make an even bigger Federal power grab in the area of healthcare!

Trump has no regard for the Constitution, and no regard for the Conservative principles reflected in the 2012 Republican Platform.  We will not “make America great again” by flushing the Constitution, expanding the undelegated powers of the Federal government, and dissolving the lines between the sovereign states!