LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS BETTER GOVERNMENT, AND THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF OUR COUNTRY UNDERSTOOD THAT PRINCIPLE, USING THE CONSTITUTION TO LIMIT THE SIZE AND POWER OF GOVERNMENT

WHY A SMALLER FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS PROPER 

(Their Words, My Arrangement)

US CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE I, SECTION 8.

SUMMARY OF THE POWERS OF CONGRESS

THE 12 POWERS OF CONGRESS, GROUPED BY SIMILARITY

Ths contains all the exact wording from the Constitution, rearranged by subject, with my titles.  Bold is used for format and emphasis, numbers indicate the original order.

The Congress shall have Power …

Citizenship in the Nation (1 Item)
4. To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization,

Courts (Federal/National )
9. To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

Operation of the National Government (3 Items)
1.To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises,
to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence
and general Welfare of the United States;
but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

2. To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

17. To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever,
over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as
may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance
of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the
United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places
purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in
which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines,
Arsenals, dock-Yards and other needful Buildings;

Commerce Among the States of the Nation (3 Items)
3. [To regulate Commerce]  among
the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

7. To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

8. To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by
securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the
exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

National Standards
5. To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign
Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

6. To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities
and current Coin of the United States;

4. [To establish] uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States.

International Commerce
10. To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on
the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;

3. To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations

National Defense (6 Items)
11. To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and
make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

12. To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of
Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two
Years;

13. To provide and maintain a Navy;

14. To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the
land and naval Forces;

15. To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws
of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

16. To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the
Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be
employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to
the States respectively, the Appointment of the Offi ers,
and the Authority of training the Militia according to the
discipline prescribed by Congress;

-And Execution the foregoing Powers
18. To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of                                                    the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
________________________

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Has the Congress gone beyond these powers?  You decide !

Arranged by John W. Tuinstra, 2012