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b'Summary:
\\nOne of the key differences between Americans and citizens of other countries is that in most nations of the world, individuals gradually won freedoms and privileges from a monarchy. In the U.S., however, we started with all of our rights.\\xa0 Then, Americans created government by surrendering some of their power, empowering government.\\xa0 These rights are spelled out in Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution.
\\nFree Stuff Rather Than Freedom
\\nWe have government not to give us stuff, but to secure our freedom. Americans today really don\'t want freedom.\\xa0 They want free stuff. When the government gives you something they take away your choice; they tell you what you are going to get and how you are going to get it. When the government gives you something, however, they must take away from someone else, diminishing that person\'s freedom.
\\nArticle 1, Section 8 of the Constitution
\\nThe Constitution created a Federal Government.\\xa0 Prior to the Constitution we were organized under the Articles of the Confederation. But the framers of the Constitution wanted the government to have a little more power.\\xa0 All of the powers of the Federal Government are contained in Article 1, Section 8, and it\'s not a big section.\\xa0\\xa0It has 18 enumerated powers.
\\nGovernment Powers vs. State Powers
\\nThe Constitution is written in two ways: it grants powers to the Federal Government and it denies powers to the states. You know that by reading the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, The Bill of Rights ,which lays out how the Constitution is organized, and that the Federal Government has only the powers expressly granted. The states retain certain powers owned prior to the formation of the Federal government. So, if the Constitution did not specifically prohibit the states from doing something, they could do it.
\\nIgnoring the Constitution
\\nWe know what the Constitution means because its writing is clear. Today they say the Constitution needs to be interpreted - that the Supreme Court is there to "interpret the Constitution". The Constitution is not written in Chinese - it is written in plain English.\\xa0 The Constitution needs to be applied and enforced.\\xa0 When people are talking about interpreting the Constitution they are really talking about ignoring the Constitution and to impart meaning that doesn\'t exist.
\\nThe Federalist Papers
\\nIf you look back at the Federalist Papers, at what the founders of the Constitution wrote about the meaning of the document, particularly James Madison, in Federalist Paper #45. If you don\'t know what the Federalist Papers are, or you\'ve never read them, they are a collection of articles, written at the time the Constitution was being ratified, to generate understanding and support. The authors were James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay.
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\\nHere is a quote from Madison, who was considered to be the "Father of the Constitution":
\\nThe powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government, are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace,\\n\\nOur Sponsors:\\n* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com/ \\n\\nPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy'