E. W. Jackson, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Virginia, said he opposes emergency federal aid in the case of natural disasters during his unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate last year.
In response to a question regarding the role of government “in helping folks following predictable natural disasters,” Jackson replied: “I don’t think that the federal government has much of a role at all constitutionally, at all.”
“I think as a constitutional matter the federal government doesn’t have a whole lot to do with that,” he continued, lamenting that “we’ve turned the federal government into a kind of God and you turn to the federal government for everything.”
“We don’t need the heavy hand of federal government stepping in every time something goes wrong,” Jackson said. “I don’t think there is any constitutional authority to do it.”
28 comments
Both the OP and PG here might want to read the Preamble, where it lays out the purpose and scope of the new government. Specifically the part about how the government should "insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, [and] promote the general welfare". The exact means and methods can and should be debated, but the government is undeniably responsible to and for its citizens.
Throw out the Constitution and write another one. It's not a sacred document.
Um, I find this a very scary comment.
And, as much as I hate to agree with Jackson, he's correct: the role of the Federal government did not include these kinds of activities. The Fed was originally intended for domestic protection and to mediate commerce between the States.
So once a government is elected it should ignore the plight of the people? I suppose sitting around praying is the go-to position for relief aid for stricken communities.
And these scum call themselves christian.
It's called the general welfare clause, you shitwit.
@ #1544928:
Fuck off and read the actual thoughts of the people who wrote the damn thing. Stop believing what the right tell you they meant, the right are lying to you.
So sorry Paler Face-you are extremely wrong.
I'm in the area that took the brunt of Sandy's damage. We received plenty of support, much of it from the government.
The rest of this is just plain stupid.
"“We don’t need the heavy hand of federal government stepping in every time something goes wrong,” Jackson said. “I don’t think there is any constitutional authority to do it.”"
Was he ever affected by a natural disaster, and get government help? Someone should look this up.
To be honest, that is consistent with the standard libertarian "I can do everything on my own" philosophy. But I'm betting the next time Virginia gets hit with a huge hurricane, he'll be the first one with his hand out yelling and screaming for federal assistance. That's the problem with the so-called fiscal conservatives. They'll rail about the massive federal spending like there's no tomorrow, but they're first in line at the trough when it's one of the programs they like that's getting money.
It's called "basic human decency". You might want to try it sometime.
"unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate"
That really says it all, doesn't it?
@ #1544928:
The problem is that America has grown beyond any scope that the Founding Fathers could have imagined. This is why they wrote processes for amendment into the Constitution, so that changes could be made when the "original intention" wasn't sufficient. Stripping away these necessary changes, as the OP wants, would leave America with something little better than the Articles of Confederation. (Protip: Why isn't America governed according to the Articles of Confederation? Because they were proven to be insufficient for governing a nation as small as Colonial America, much less the modern US.)
Founding Fathers?
I believe it was Daniel Boone? No Wrong, it was Davy Crockett who voted against burdening men with taxes for government to do the work of charities. He didn't believe the government had been given that license by the people.
Now how novel an idea is that? The People issuing a license to the government? It is called a mandate. And without it Government are just gun runners.
Charity. There is no modern word for it.
@Georgy-porgy
Well then, I will have to say that I respectfully disagree with Mr. Crockett while wondering what the opinion of a man who died over a century-and-a-half ago has to do with modern politics.
Blah blah blah non-sequitur...
"Charity. There is no modern word for it."
Because you 'true Christians' have shown such a great capacity for charity. NOT.
What an honestly surprisingly facile thing to say.
There was a time before today when they ran the only hospitals, only universities, only public education, only orphanages, only food relief programs.
They weren't just good at it they were the only ones doing it.
They still get far more percentage money through to target programs than any other organizations.
Some secular charities [so I call them] 90 cents in the dollar goes to administration overheads.
Aye, but they didno' believe in /Republican/ Jesus, so they were nae /true/ Christians.
As for being "facile", you really don't read anything you type do you?
There was a time before today when they ran the only hospitals, only universities, only public education, only orphanages, only food relief programs.
The CITATION NEEDED is visible from space in this.
“I don’t think that the federal government has much of a role at all constitutionally, at all.”
“We don’t need the heavy hand of federal government stepping in every time something goes wrong,” Jackson said. “I don’t think there is any constitutional authority to do it.”
And now you know why you lot lost in early November last year.
Your Golden Boy Mitt 'Magic Pants' Romney's '47%' crack, for example.
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People indeed.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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