The U.S. Constitution and the General Welfare Clause

Did eight words in the Constitution—“general welfare”—spark a federal takeover? Meant to limit power, they’ve crushed states and racked up $35T in debt. Join Ryan Sahlberg, a retired Marine and Citadel history grad, on Manifest History to trace this betrayal from 1787 debates to modern Supreme Court rulings. Explore Madison’s warnings, Anti-Federalist fears, and cases like Obamacare’s Sebelius. Comment: What’s the worst abuse? Subscribe for more!

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Sources Cited:

Supreme Court Cases:
Bailey v. Drexel Furniture Co., 259 U.S. 20 (1922). Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1900-1940/259us20.
United States v. Butler, 297 U.S. 1 (1936). Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1900-1940/297us1.
Helvering v. Davis, 301 U.S. 619 (1937). Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1900-1940/301us619.
South Dakota v. Dole, 483 U.S. 203 (1987). Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1986/86-260.
NFIB v. Sebelius, 567 U.S. 519 (2012). Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/2011/11-393.
Federalist Papers:
Hamilton, Alexander, James Madison, and John Jay. The Federalist Papers, Nos. 30, 41, 45. Avalon Project, Yale Law School, avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/fed.asp.
Anti-Federalist Papers:
Brutus No. 1, No. 6; Centinel No. 1. TeachingAmericanHistory.org, teachingamericanhistory.org/library/antifederalist/.
Letters and Documents:
Jefferson, Thomas. Opinion on the Constitutionality of a National Bank, 1791. Founders Online, founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-19-02-0001.
Jefferson, Thomas. Letter to Edward Carrington, May 27, 1788. Founders Online, founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-13-02-0121.
Jefferson, Thomas. Letter to William Branch Giles, December 26, 1825. Founders Online, founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/98-01-02-5771.
Madison, James. Veto Message on the Internal Improvements Bill, March 3, 1817. Founders Online, founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/04-01-02-0056.
Adams, John. Letter to Robert R. Livingston, September 17, 1782. Founders Online, founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-13-02-0218.
Washington, George. Opinion on the Constitutionality of a National Bank, February 23, 1791. Founders Online, founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-07-02-0307.
Other Sources:
Farrand, Max, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, Vol. 2. Yale University Press, 1911.
Articles of Confederation, Article III. Avalon Project, Yale Law School, avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/artconf.asp.
U.S. Debt Data: Congressional Budget Office, February 2025 projections (~$35.3 trillion). www.cbo.gov.
Video Clips (Used Under Fair Use):
A More Perfect Union. Directed by Peter N. Johnson, Brigham Young University Motion Picture Studio, 1989.
John Adams. Directed by Tom Hooper, HBO Films, 2008.
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