[Publius]

Excellent article by Myron Magnet.

[ConorMacNessa]

Yes it is - I started it but it's a long read - I'll save it for when I have some time - at work. Thanks for the ping, Publius!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[Huck]

At other times, he willingly embraced the doctrine of implied powers himself.

Of course he did. He knew exactly what the necessary and proper clause meant. He was a political creature. His record is full of flip-flops and incoherence. In the end, he did more harm to liberty than good.

[SunTzuWu]

Thanks for the ping.

[definitelynotaliberal]

Thank you.

[YHAOS]

Thanks for the ping!

” Madison’s chief goal that year was to get the Bill of Rights through Congress. He had at first strongly opposed such amendments, arguing that the Constitution, by its precise enumeration of the federal government’s strictly limited powers, makes clear that any power not on that short list remains off-limits.

Hamilton had similar objections. His and Madison’s degree of sincerity is not open to me, but that was their argument. Madison’s views seemed to evolve throughout his long and active life, as Magnet observes.