SettingtheRecordStraight:

TheTeaPartyandtheConstitutional PowersoftheFederalGovernment

IssueBriefNo.4July16,2010 ElizabethWydraandDavidGans

Introduction
TheemergenceoftheTeaPartymovementasanincreasinglypersistentpresenceinthe mediaandinpoliticshasfocusednationalattentionontheConstitution,asTeaPartymembers invokeourNationsFoundingintheirrhetoricandclaimtoroottheiragendainthe Constitution.AsanorganizationdedicatedtothetextandhistoryoftheConstitution, ConstitutionalAccountabilityCenterapplaudsthisfocusontheConstitution,atleastintheory. TheConstitutionshouldframeourpoliticaldebatesandbefollowedfaithfullybyourcountrys leaders,regardlessoftheirpoliticalaffiliation.ButastheTeaPartyanditsstandardbearers continuetomakeclaimsaboutthemeaningofourNationscharterincludinginthedebates overSolicitorGeneralElenaKagansconfirmationtotheSupremeCourtitisimportantthat thisnationalconversationengagetherealConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesandnotthe ConstitutionAccordingtotheTeaParty. AcloselookattheTeaPartysversionoftheConstitutionshowsthatitbearslittle resemblancetoouractualConstitution,departssharplyfromtheFoundersvisionforAmerica, andcouldthreatensomeoftheconstitutionalvaluesAmericanscherishmost.InthisIssue Brief,wetakeontheTeaPartierscentralclaim:thatourcountrysFoundersestablisheda sharplylimited,weaknationalgovernment,incapableofaddressingnationalproblemslikethe healthcarecrisisinAmerica.Thisclaimdoesntstanduptothetestoftextandhistory. ThisIssueBriefdocumentsfirstthattheFoundersestablishedthefederalgovernment toactwheneverthestateswereseparatelyincompetentandgrantedthefederalgovernment broadpowerto,amongotherthings,regulateinterstatecommerceandtaxandspendto promotethegeneralwelfare.Tobesure,ourConstitutionestablishedanationalgovernment ofenumeratedandnotunlimitedpowers,asaffirmedbytheTenthAmendmentandrecognized bytheSupremeCourtincasessuchasUnitedStatesv.Lopez.Butwhilethesepowersare enumerated,theyarealsobroadandsubstantial. Second,wechroniclehowmostconstitutionalamendmentsratifiedbyWethePeople inthelasttwocenturieshaveexpandedtheenumeratedpowersofthefederalgovernment, buildingonthealreadyrobustpowersgrantedtoCongressinthe1789textoftheConstitution. Theseamendmentsgavevastpowerstothefederalgovernmenttoprotectequality,civilrights, andvotingrightsandtoraisefundsthroughtaxesonincome.
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TheConstitutionAccordingtotheTeaPartyandItsAllies
TeaPartiersandtheirfriendshavemadeagreatmanyboldstatementsaboutthe Constitutionandtheroleofthefederalgovernment.WhileTeaPartyactivistsandtheir conservativefriendsandalliesdonotagreeoneverything,theyareunitedintheirviewthatthe federalgovernmentisexercisingpowerstodaythatarebeyondthelimitsofourConstitution. FromtheHeritageFoundationledMountVernonStatementtoTeaPartyaffiliated organizationslikeLibertyCentral,theclaimismadethatourConstitutioncreatedasharply limitednationalgovernmentandthatthemodernfederalgovernmentvastlyoverstepsthose limits.InthecolorfulrecentwordsofRushLimbaugh,therehavebeenaseriesofwicked, unconstitutionalexperimentsfromtheNewDealtotheBigFingDeal. AsLimbaughsremarkindicates,healthcarereformhasbecomeapoliticalflashpointfor theTeaParty,standinginforthemyriadfederalactionsincludingcivilrightslaws, environmentalprotection,corporateregulations,andthemaintenanceoftheDepartmentof EducationandsafetynetprogramssuchasSocialSecuritythatatleastsomeTeaPartiers believeareunconstitutionalexercisesoffederalpower.Thecrisisinthehealthcareand insuranceindustries,whichencompassroughlytwentypercentoftheU.S.economy,seemslike aclassicexampleofaninterstatecommerceproblemstatescannotsolveontheirown.But conservativesandTeaPartyactivistsaremakingthistheirWaterloo.AttheKaganconfirmation hearings,SenatorJohnCornynarguedthatifthehealthcarereformlegislationisconstitutional, itseemstomethereisnolimittothefederalgovernment'sauthorityandwe'vecomealong, longwayfromwhatourfoundersintended.KenCuccinelli,VirginiaselectedAttorneyGeneral whohassuedthefederalgovernmentoverthehealthcarelaw,agrees,tellingaTeaParty gatheringthatthehealthcarereformbillisthegreatesterosionoflibertyinmyadult lifetime." CitizensandelectedofficialslikeCuccinelliareofcoursefreetotrytomakethecasefor theirconstitutionalclaimsinthecourts,wheremostlegalscholars,includingconservativessuch asOrinKerrandCharlesFried,agreesuchclaimswillfail.However,thesweepingstatements byTeaPartymembersandtheirfriendsabouttheoverreachingofthefederalgovernment shouldnotgounchallengedoutsidethecourthousedoors.StatementsabouttheConstitution suchasthosenotedabovearenotonlyinaccurate,butalsopotentiallydangerous:some extrememembersoftheTeaPartymovementhavesuggestedthatthesolutionfora governmentthatallegedlystraysfromtheConstitutionisviolenceandrebellion.Sharron Angle,theTeaPartyendorsedRepublicanSenatecandidateinNevada,statedinaradio interviewthatcitizensshouldlooktoSecondAmendmentremediesinotherwords,armed insurrectionifthisCongresskeepsgoingthewayitis.RickBarber,aTeaParty congressionalcandidatefromAlabama,rananadsuggestingTeaPartiersshouldgatheryour armies,asaresponsetoprogressivetaxation.Afterthepassageofthehealthcarebill,Sarah PalinsentthismessagetoCommonsenseConservatives&loversofAmerica:"Don'tRetreat, InsteadRELOAD!" Suchveiledthreatsofviolencethankfullyhavebeencondemnedbysomeconservatives. ConservativecolumnistMichaelGerson,forexample,calledoutAngleforherreferenceto
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congressionaltyrannyandSecondAmendmentremediesanddismissedtheTeaPartystalk ofarmedrebellionassofarfromthemoralweightinessoftheFoundersthatitmockstheir memory.ButtheideasabouttheConstitutionthatunderlietheperceivedneedforsuch drasticmeasureshavenotbeengivenasufficientlycriticallook.While1776mayhavebeenall aboutrevolution,bythetimeourFounderstookupthetaskofdraftingourConstitutiona decadelater,theywerefocusedoncreatinganadequate,workinggovernmentwithastrong federalpower.ThisisexactlywhatourConstitutionestablishes.

TheFoundersCreatedAStrongNationalGovernment
TeaPartiersdeclarethattheywanttogotobacktotheideasoftheConstitution,but whattheyreallywantistoreturntotheArticlesofConfederation.TheTeaPartysprincipal claimthatourcountrysFoundersestablishedasharplylimited,weaknationalgovernmentfits morewiththefailed,discardedArticlesofConfederationthanwiththeFounderssecondand lastingattempttocraftanationalcharter,ourConstitution. Itistelling,inthisregard,thattheTeaPartyinvokestherevolutionaryfervorofthe BostonTeaParty,whichoccurredin1775,andthattheMountVernonStatementreferstothe selfevidenttruthsof1776,theyeartheDeclarationofIndependencewasadopted,and nevermentionsthattheConstitutionitselfwasdraftedin1787,elevenveryeventfulyears later.TheArticlesofConfederation,adoptedbytheSecondContinentalCongressin1777and ratifiedin1781,establishedaconfederacybuiltmerelyonafirmleagueoffriendship betweenthirteenindependentstates.Therewasonlyasinglebranchofnationalgovernment, theCongress,whichwasmadeupofstatedelegations.CongressundertheArticlesof Confederationhadsomepowers,butwasgivennomeanstoexecutethosepowers.Congress couldnotdirectlytaxindividualsorlegislateuponthem;ithadnoexpresspowertomakelaw thatwouldbebindinginthestatescourtsandnogeneralpowertoestablishnationalcourts, anditcouldraisemoneyonlybymakingrequeststothestates. InavideopostedonthewebsiteofLibertyCentral,ProfessorRobertGeorgewaxes eloquentlyabouthowthefoundersofourConstitutionhadlivedunderthetyrannyofthe BritishCrown.Trueenough,butby1787theyhadalsolivedfortenyearsunderthe dysfunctionoftheArticles,whichaccordingtoGeorgeWashington,almostcostthemvictoryin theRevolutionaryWar.By1787,theConfederationwasinshamblesanditwasclearthata newsystemofgovernmentwasnecessaryonewithastrongerandbroaderroleforthe centralgovernment.TheFramersofourConstitutioncertainlyrecalledBritishtyranny,but theyalsolearnedfromthemistakesoftheArticlesofConfederationandinthesucceeding chartergavesignificantpowertothenewfederalgovernment. Specifically,asdetailedbyProfessorAkhilAmarinhiscomprehensiveworkof constitutionalscholarship,AmericasConstitution:ABiography,thedelegatestothe ConstitutionalConventioninstructedtheCommitteeofDetail,whichdraftedtheenumerated powersofCongressinArticleI,thatCongressshouldhaveauthoritytolegislateinallCasesfor thegeneralInterestsoftheUnion,andalsointhoseCasestowhichtheStatesareseparately incompetent.ArticleIthusgrantsCongresspowerto,amongotherthings,regulateinterstate
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commerceandtaxandspendtopromotethegeneralwelfare.Congresssauthority,ofcourse, hasitslimitsastheConstitutionsTenthAmendmentreaffirms,ourfederalgovernmentisone ofenumeratedpowersbutthepowersexpresslygrantedtoCongressarenonethelessbroad andsubstantial. ThecongressionalpowerswrittenintotheConstitutionbytheFoundersareeven strongerwhencoupledwithArticleI,section8ssweepinggrantofauthoritytoCongressto makelawsthatarenecessaryandproperforcarryingouttheotherpowersgrantedbythe Constitution.ThegreatChiefJusticeJohnMarshallexplainedinMcCullochv.Maryland(1817) thatCongressshouldbeshownsignificantdeferenceregardingwhatlawsitconsiderstobe appropriateincarryingoutitsconstitutionalduties. ContrarytoTeaPartyclaims,theFounderscreatedafederalismthatallowedfora significantroleforstatesandlocalgovernments,butcreatedastrongcentralgovernmentwith sufficientpowertogovernaunitedcountry.Farfrombeingveryafraidoffederal government,theFounderswerequiteconcernedwithprotectingtheUnitedStatesfrom invadingforeignarmiesandtrustedthefederalgovernmenttoprotectthecitizenryagainstthe evilsoffactions,asfamouslyelaboratedbyJamesMadisoninFederalistPaperNo.10.As madeclearintheConstitutionssoaringPreamble,ourFoundersinvestedfederallawmakers withbroadpowerstopromotethecommondefenseandgeneralwelfareofwethepeople oftheUnitedStates.

WethePeoplehaveExpandedtheFederalPowerThroughaSeriesof ConstitutionalAmendments
TheTeaPartystoryaboutoursharplylimitednationalgovernmentisnotonly inconsistentwiththewordsandintentionsofourFoundinggeneration,butitalsorequiresa formofselectiveamnesiaabouttheimportantchangesmadetotheConstitutionbysuccessive generationsofAmericans.SincetheFounding,theAmericanpeople,atcriticalmomentsinour countryshistory,haveamendedtheConstitutionandaddedtoCongresssexpress constitutionalpowers,ensuringCongresshasallthetoolsitneedstoaddressnationalproblems andprotecttheconstitutionalrightsofallAmericans.Indeed,mostoftheamendmentsadded totheConstitutionduringthe19thand20thCenturiesexpandedthepowerofthefederal government.TheTeaPartysreadingoftheConstitutiondependsonignoringorrepealing thesecriticalamendments. Atleasthere,however,therehasbeenrecognitionbysomeTeaPartymembersofthe radicalnatureoftheirideas.RandPaul,theRepublicanSenatecandidatefromKentucky,Rep. DuncanHunterofSanDiego,andothershavecalledforrepealofthe14thAmendments guaranteeofcitizenshipatbirthforallchildrenbornintheUnitedStates.SharronAngle,the NevadaSenatecandidate,hascalledforrepealofthe16thAmendment,whichallowsfora federalprogressiveincometax.AndmanyTeaPartyactivistsarepushingforrepealofthe17th Amendment,whichshiftedtheselectionofU.S.Senatorsfromstatelegislaturestothestates voters.AsJimLinn,aTeaPartymemberfromSanDiegoexplainedtotheWashingtonPost,

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returningtohisunderstandingoftheFoundersintentwouldmeanscrappingalotofthe Amendments.

TheCivilWarAmendments
Afterfightingabloodycivilwaroverslaveryandbroadnotionsofstatesovereignty, WethePeoplemadesurethatprotectingtheconstitutionalrightsofallAmericanswas amongtheexpresspowersofthefederalgovernment.The13thAmendmentabolished slaverythecornerstoneoftheConfederacystrikingoutoftheConstitutiontheoppressive systemthatmadeamockeryofourfoundingideals.The14thAmendmentguaranteedall Americanssubstantivefundamentalfreedomsandmadeequalityofallpersonsaconstitutional right.The15thAmendmentextendedthepromiseofthe14thAmendment,securingtherightto votetothenewlyfreedslaves.AllthreeAmendmentsgrantedbroadpowertoCongress, providingashieldofnationalprotectiontoensurethatourcountrysfoundingpromiseof freedomandequalityappliedtoall. WrittenagainstthebackdropofDredScottv.Sandford,theSupremeCourtsrulingthat helpedbringontheCivilWar,theseAmendmentswereratifiedtochangethebalanceof powersbetweenthestatesandthefederalgovernmentandtoprovideCongresswiththetools toprotecttherightsofallAmericans.TheframerswhowrotetheseAmendmentsdidnottrust thestatestoprotectliberty,equality,andtherighttovote,andweremorethanalittle suspiciousoftheSupremeCourt,whichhad,afterall,profoundlyerredinDredScott, announcingthatAfricanAmericanshadnorightswhichthewhitemanisboundtorespect. Toensurethesenewconstitutionalprotectionswereeffective,Congresswasempoweredto stepinwhenstatesthreatenedconstitutionalrightsandwhenstatesfailedtoprotect Americansfromviolenceanddiscriminationbyprivateactors.

TheProgressiveEraAmendments
DuringtheProgressiveEraoftheearly20thCentury,theAmericanpeopleamendedthe Constitutionagain,addingoncemoretothepowerofthefederalgovernment.The16thand 17thAmendments,ratifiedin1913,soughttoensurethatthefederalgovernmenthadthe authoritytorestrainthepowerofcorporations,whoseoutsizedinfluencewasthreateningthe Americanpeople. The16thAmendmentgaveCongresspowertoimposeaprogressiveincometax, overturningabadlyreasoned1896SupremeCourtopinionthathadinvalidatedafederal corporateincometax,and,asthedissentexplained,cripple[d]thejustpowersofthe governmentintheessentialmatteroftaxation.The16thAmendmentsettledthequestionof theconstitutionalityofprogressiveincometaxation,givingthefederalgovernmentthepower tolayandcollectincometaxes,fromwhateversourcedderived....TotheProgressiveEra framers,progressivetaxationwasnotaformoftyrannytobestringentlychecked,butan essentialandfairmeansforthefederalgovernmenttopromotethegeneralwelfareofall Americans,andoftheNationitself.

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The17thAmendmentendedthepowerofstatelegislaturestoappointU.S.Senators, givingtherighttovotedirectlytothepeopleandstrikingablowagainstcorporatedomination oftheelectoralprocess.AsAkhilAmarhasshown,theframersofthe17thAmendment understoodthatgivingthevotetothepeoplewouldresultincleaner,lesscorrupt government,andwouldcountertheundueeffectsoflargecorporations,monopolies,trusts, andotherspecialinterestgroupsintheSenateelectionprocess.Together,thetwo Amendmentsexpandedthepowersofthefederalgovernmentandhelpedpavethewayfora wholehostofmodernfinancial,economic,andcivilrightslegislationaimedatprotectingthe rightsandinterestsofAmericansfromabusebycorporationsandotherbusinesses.

TheVotingRightsAmendments
The15thAmendmentwasthefirsttosecuretherighttovoteasaconstitutionalright, andseveralmorevotingrightsamendmentswereaddedduringthe20thCentury,eachgiving CongresstheprimaryroleinsecuringtherightsofAmericanstocastaballot,andaddingtothe expresspowersofthefederalgovernment. In1920,the19thAmendmentgavewomentherighttovote;in1964,the24th Amendmentabolishedtheuseofpolltaxesinfederalelections;andin1971,the26th Amendmentgavetherighttovotetomenandwomenagedeighteenyearsorolder.Likethe 15thAmendment,eachoftheseAmendmentsentruststhepowertoenforcetherighttovoteto Congress,givingthefederalgovernmentbroadpowertosecuretherighttovoteandban discriminationinvoting.TheAmendmentstogethermakevotingafundamentalrightof AmericansandgiveCongresstheexpressauthoritytoensurethatAmericans,infact,havethe abilitytoexercisethisfundamentalright.

Conclusion
TheTeaPartyanditsstandardbearerscontinuetoassertinthemedia,inCongress,and inthecourtsthatthefederalgovernmentissharplylimitedbytheConstitutionandtooweakto actincrucialareasofpolicy,includingcivilrightsprotection,healthcarereform,environmental protection,andcorporateregulation.ThetextandhistoryoftheConstitutionshowthese claimstobefalse.FromthebroadandsubstantialpowersgrantedtoCongressinthe1787 Constitution,tothesweepingenforcementpowersaddedtotheConstitutioninthelasttwo centuries,ourConstitutionestablishesafederalgovernmentthatisstrongenoughtoactwhen thenationalinterestrequiresanationalsolutionorwhenfundamentalrightsareinfringed. Therewillalwaysbegoodfaithdisagreementsabouttheproperinterpretationor applicationofprovisionsoftheConstitution,butifTeaPartiersandtheirelectedallieswantto bethestandardbearersfortheConstitution,astheyclaim,theyshouldberequiredto representtheactualConstitution,nottheArticlesofConfederationorthestrangebrewofa ConstitutionAccordingtotheTeaParty.WhentheTeaPartiersconstitutionalclaimsdonot standuptothetestoftheConstitutionstextandhistory,Americansshouldnothesitateto speakupandpreventsuchpotentiallydangerousdistortionsofourNationscharter.
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