Democrats are raising an alarm about what they call a “constitutional crisis.” If there is one, they should know because they are to blame for it. That’s because their party, since the days of Franklin Roosevelt, has been violating the boundaries and restrictions on government set forth in our founding document.
The Founders wanted government to be limited, so the people would be able to achieve their highest aspirations consistent with hard work and their talents.
Much of life has boundaries and rules that when violated bring consequences. Think of speed limits, boundaries in sports, even rules while playing cards and board games. Warnings on medications tell of what can happen if directions are violated and possible side effects ignored.
Only when it comes to government are constitutional limits violated with little concern from most politicians. One consequence that is finally receiving serious attention is the national debt. As The Wall Street Journal recently noted, servicing the debt now costs more than the entire Defense Department budget. This is unsustainable and as the Journal notes — and I wrote five years ago in a book called “America’s Expiration Date” — past nations have expired under the weight of massive debt.
Looking to the past for wisdom in how to deal with debt and so much else is ignored by many modern politicians in both parties. The Founders — and those presidents who paid attention to their wise words — conducted government in a responsible way that promoted the general welfare. It only takes a few seconds on Google to assess the wisdom of presidents who embraced their principles. Below are only three of many examples that show what they believed to be the consequences of big government and the scourge of debt.