Let me give you a brief history lesson. There was only a tiny military until the War with Mexico. In fact, it was so small that indian tribes defeated it until Anthony Wayne took charge in the 1790s. The War of 1812 almost turned into a disaster because the Jeffersonians had weakened the military so much. And a British army of 5,000 troops BURNED down our capital.
After the Mexican War the army shrank again to miniscule size. It had to be built anew when the Slavers tried to destroy the Union. It shrank again to small size after their defeat. As did the government. This happened again after the Spanish American War and WWI AND WWII though after the latter the army was still large. Had our army not been retained at a larger size the cost of fighting the Soviets would have been much greater and possibly unsuccessful.
You really should read and UNDERSTAND the constitution before blathering on about what it says. It mentions Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises as means of raising revenue. “Taxes” was NOT limited to tariffs. Had it been intended to be only tariffs the Founders would have said so. They had no problem excluding several forms of taxation: export taxes, and certain taxes by states nor did they have a problem of specifying how “direct” or capitation taxes were to be levied. So your statement regarding tariffs as the only constitutional tax is dead wrong as Article I, Section 8 and 9 clearly show.
Shrinking the size of the fedgov was not a part of this conversation but you should recognize the fact that it would INCREASE the power of the corporations you pillory. And it should be clear that it is the size it is because that is what the voters wanted. In order to change that one must change their minds about it.
Of course, we don’t have to trade with any other nation. We can become an economic backwater trying to hide from the realities of the world until they explode in our faces.
Free Trade maximizes everyone’s overall freedom and wealth not just the “few” the Left is always touting as our enemy.
Spouting off crackpot ideas doesn’t address any “holes” but only show the degree of your ignorance and just how brainwashing by the Left is infecting even a site like this.
This is the danger of Class Warfare.
While Free Trade has never truly existed for political reasons, the closer we get to it the more efficiently economic resources are allocated, the higher production/employment and wealth levels (in both nations) are achieved and the more competition improves everyone’s economies.
But you and Ron Paul seem to be more concerned with punishing other nations rather than raising economic output.
Not only ignorant, but highly opinionated. When did I say that tariffs were the “Only” constitutional tax? I didn’t. I said it was an apportioned tax, from which you could opt out, meaning if you don’t purchase the taxed product, or perform the taxed action, you aren’t subject to it.
Wow, if you can’t even read a simple statement, please don’t think I’m going to read the rest of your drivel.
P.S. While I know little of Ron Paul, your silly attempt to guilt me by association, doesn’t yield anything. I don’t care what your opinion is, is obviously immature in any respect (You aptly named yourself in your handle). I’m sure someone else is willing to engage you, so have a nice day.