All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.
This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
I, however, place economy among the first and most important of republican virtues, and public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared.
ReplyDelete-Thomas Jefferson
This one contains the infamous "Supremacy Clause" which most people in government interpret to mean "anything the Federal Government does is the supreme law of the land". WRONG!! Never overlook the words "under the Authority of the United States". The founders added this phrase to chain our federal government to only those issues enumerated in Art I, Sec 8, and backed it up further with the 9th and 10th Amendments. For example, the President or Secretary of State can sign all the UN treaties they want, but if they violate their authority under our Constitution, they have no binding affect on the States. Also, Mr. Jefferson took umbrage to the Federal Government's ability to define new "crimes" (like not buying Health Insurance) and creating punishments for same (fines, jail sentences, etc) Crime and punishment is the perview of the States' police power, and must be handled within the "district or state wherein the crime was committed". Technically, the Federal Government has no criminal jurisdiction within any State.
ReplyDelete