Best quote I heard today. From yer resident troll.

[IndyDave1776]

I am going to start at the point at which redistribution of wealth is NOT a constitutionally authorized function of government and therefore should not be happening. Once we abandon this point, we can chase the rabbit indefinitely because politicians are going to buy both votes and financial support, licit and illicit, with redistributed wealth. The bottom line is that you can't cheat your way to honesty any more than you can borrow your way out of debt or screw your way to virginity.

 

[Arthur Dent]

I am going to start at the point at which redistribution of wealth is NOT a constitutionally authorized function of government and therefore should not be happening. Once we abandon this point, we can chase the rabbit indefinitely because politicians are going to buy both votes and financial support, licit and illicit, with redistributed wealth. The bottom line is that you can't cheat your way to honesty any more than you can borrow your way out of debt or screw your way to virginity.

"The Congress shall have 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. – Constitution of the United States, Article I, Section 8"

 

[IndyDave1776]

"The Congress shall have 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. – Constitution of the United States, Article I, Section 8"

What is your point? Redistribution of wealth (i.e., redistribution for the purpose of favoring the recipient over the rightful owner, as opposed to payment for goods and services rendered incidental to authorized functions) is not a component of of any of these functions. General Welfare is something entirely different from the specific welfare of favored individuals or groups.