15 Questions to Ask
Candidates for Federal Offices!
1.
What is the proper role of government?
Answer:
Provide Justice and Protection. The proper role of
government is to protect the inalienable rights of the people. These include: Life, Liberty, and the Right to Own Property.
2. What is the
proper distribution of powers between federal and state or local governments?
Answer:
James Madison explained, "The powers delegated by
the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the sate
governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects as war,
peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce; with which last the power of taxation will, for the most part, be
connected. The powers reserved to the several states will extend to all the object which, in the ordinary course of
affairs, concern the lives, liberties and prosperity of the state." Federalist Papers, No. 45
3. What are the 11
powers of the President of the United
States?
Answer:
- Chief of State
- Chooses his Vice President
- Shall nominate ambassadors, public
ministry, consuls, judges of Supreme Court and other offices of U. S. with
advice and consent of the Senate
- May require opinions or reports from
any U. S. agency
- Gives Congress report of the State of
the Union, recommending measures he considers necessary and expedient to
improve the general welfare of the nation.
- Sees that federal laws are faithfully
executed
- Scrutinizes new laws from national
standpoint - can veto
- Receives ambassadors & etc. from
foreign nations
- Can make treaties if 2/3 of Senators
present agree
- May grant reprieves and pardons for
offenses against U. S. (except impeachments)
- Commander in Chief of the
Military
4. What are the 22
powers of Congress?
Answer:
- Determines if members are properly
elected
- Punishes own members for disorderly
behavior
- Has complete control over
Federal Lands and
Buildings
- Keeps a journal of proceedings to be
published from time to time
- Collect taxes
- Pays the debts
- Power to coin money and regulate
value
- Can borrow on credit of U.
S.
- Punishes counterfeiting
- Brings impeachment charges
- Fix weights and measures
- Encourage progress of science and other
useful arts and issue copyrights and patents
- Establish post offices
- Set up federal courts
- Has all lawmaking power
- Regulate commerce
- Establish uniform system of rules for
naturalization
- Establish uniform laws regarding
bankruptcy
- Define and punish piracies and felonies
on high seas
- Grant letters of marquee and
reprisal
- Call forth state militia when need
to
- Declare war
5. What is the
purpose of the Supreme Court?
Answer:
It is the guardian of the Constitution. It is to
make sure laws that are passed are constitutional.
6. What is the first
thing a congressman or senator should do when deciding what bill to sponsor or how to vote on a bill?
Answer:
See if it is one of the 11 powers of the president
or one of the 22 powers of Congress. If not, he must reject it for lack of delegated authority.
7. What is the
original meaning of the "general welfare" clause?
Answer:
This provision gave the Congress the right to
expend funds for all of the purposes itemized in Article I, section 8, (the 22 powers) provided that it was done
for the general welfare of all the people and not specific welfare for individuals or preferred
groups or locations.
8. Why did the
Founders give Constitutional authority for the federal government to regulate interstate commerce?
Answer:
They wanted to insure the free flow of goods and
services between states with no state erecting customs or tariffs. It was never meant to apply to the production or
sale of goods and services going interstate.
9. Which cabinet
offices have authority rooted in the powers given to Congress in the Constitution? Which of the others will you
work to disband?
Answer:
Does: State, Treasury, Defense, and Attorney.
General (now Justice).
Does Not: Interior, Agriculture, Commerce,
Labor, Health & Human Services, Housing & Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education
10. How can Congress
check the runaway power of the federal courts?
Answer:
One action which could be taken is to adopt the
Jefferson Amendment. This was suggested by Thomas Jefferson as an amendment to the Constitution to allow Congress
to overturn a decision of the Supreme Court by a two-thirds vote.
11 When the federal
government wishes to acquire land within a state, whose permission does the Constitution require be obtained? Only
for what four purposes can it obtain land within any state?
Answer:
The Constitution spells out that land within a
state could only be purchased with the consent of the State Legislature. The four purposes for which the federal
government can even acquire the land are: (a). for the erection of forts, (b) for magazines and arsenals, (c) for
dock yards, (d) for other needful buildings such as Post Offices.
12. What standard
does the Constitution require as a basis of our money system? Who is supposed to have control of the nation's
monetary system?
Answer:
Article I, Sections 10 of the Constitution gives
Congress the exclusive right and also the responsibility to provide a national money system based on gold and
silver, and no state is allowed to use anything else in payment of its debts. There is no constitutional authority
for the Federal Reserve System.
13. Do you believe
that people's morals will affect their ability to enjoy freedom and liberty under the Constitution?
Answer:
Benjamin Franklin said: "Only a virtuous people are
capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."
John Adams was equally explicit: "Our
Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people; it is wholly inadequate to the government of any
other."
Samuel Adams added a final warning: "Neither the
wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are
universally corrupt.
14. You will take an
oath to uphold and defend the United States Constitution, if you win this office. Do you realize that you will be
held accountable before God, as well as the American People to do it?
Answer:
Yes
15. Tell me why
should I vote for you?
|