To Those Just Now Waking Up—Where Have You Been?
By Sean Dempsey, 3/20/25
Oh, so now you see it? Now, after decades of rampant government abuse, after endless wars, after a surveillance state that tracks your every move, after a Federal Reserve that devalues your savings into dust—now you’re realizing that the U.S. government doesn’t follow the Constitution?
Where have you been?
It’s almost laughable to see people—especially those suddenly outraged over Donald Trump’s authoritarian streak—only now waking up to the reality that the Constitution is little more than a tattered, disregarded relic in Washington, D.C. Trump pushes for a judge to be dismissed because he doesn’t like him, and now, suddenly, people are shocked—shocked!—that the rule of law means nothing in America. Welcome to reality, latecomers.
But let’s get one thing straight: this isn’t new. Trump is not the first, and he won’t be the last. This rot has been festering for decades. The libertarian movement, constitutional scholars, and principled critics have been screaming this from the rooftops for over 30 years. Ron Paul warned you. The Libertarian Party warned you. Countless constitutionalists have been shouting at the top of their lungs that the government does not follow the rule of law. Yet, for decades, the masses ignored it, wrote it off as “fringe” or “paranoid ranting,” while gleefully cheering for their side to wield unconstitutional power when it suited them.
And now, after years of willful ignorance, some of you finally realize what has been true all along: America is a government of men, not laws. The Constitution is not enforced. It is trampled, ignored, twisted, and used as little more than a ceremonial prop for politicians to wave around when convenient. If you only just now figured that out, you weren’t paying attention.
So, before you act like this is some shocking new development, let’s go back to where this lawlessness truly took root: the wholesale abandonment of Article I, Section 8.
The Death of Article I, Section 8: Federal Power Run Amok
Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution is as clear as daylight. It enumerates exactly what Congress has the authority to do—nothing more, nothing less. It does not give the government the power to create endless bureaucracies, regulate every aspect of life, or fund trillion-dollar programs that serve no constitutional purpose.
Yet, what do we see today? An endless sprawl of federal agencies, bureaucracies, and programs that exist nowhere in that sacred list of powers. The welfare state, the Department of Education, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Health and Human Services—none of these exist in Article I, Section 8. And yet they thrive, growing larger and more powerful every year, siphoning billions of dollars from taxpayers while dictating policies that crush economic freedom and individual liberty.
How did this happen? Simple: the government stopped caring about the Constitution. The federal government—particularly Congress—has grotesquely abused the “general welfare” and “necessary and proper” clauses, stretching their meanings beyond recognition to justify any expansion of power they desire. These clauses were never intended to be loopholes for unlimited government, yet that is exactly how they have been used.
Consider the income tax. The Founding Fathers never authorized direct taxation on citizens, which is why the federal government had to amend the Constitution (via the 16th Amendment) to introduce it. And even then, what was once a limited tax to fund basic government functions has turned into an abusive system where federal agencies like the IRS act as judge, jury, and executioner over hardworking Americans.
To be clear, the reason the 16th Amendment is unconstitutional is because it violates the original Constitution’s requirement that all direct taxes be apportioned among the states based on population, as explicitly stated in Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 (“Direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers”) and Article I, Section 9, Clause 4 (“No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken”). The Supreme Court ruled in Pollock v. Farmers’ Loan & Trust Co. (1895) that income taxes are direct taxes and therefore must be apportioned, striking down a previous federal income tax as unconstitutional. Instead of following this ruling, Congress pushed through the 16th Amendment, claiming to give itself the power to tax incomes without apportionment, but it never formally repealed the apportionment clauses, creating an irreconcilable contradiction in constitutional law. Since an amendment cannot override existing provisions without explicitly repealing them, the 16th Amendment is invalid. The result has been a massive expansion of federal power, leading to an unchecked, abusive tax system that funds unconstitutional programs and an out-of-control government—exactly what the Founding Fathers warned would happen.
And let’s not forget the Federal Reserve—a private banking cartel masquerading as a government entity, controlling the nation’s money supply with zero constitutional legitimacy. The Constitution grants Congress the power to coin money, not a secretive cabal of unelected bankers. But in 1913, that power was handed over to the Federal Reserve, setting the stage for endless inflation, reckless money printing, and economic slavery for future generations. The Founding Fathers explicitly warned against a central banking system—yet here we are, with an all-powerful financial institution that manipulates interest rates and fuels economic bubbles with impunity.
Make no mistake: the Constitution is dead. The federal government no longer sees it as a binding document but as a relic—something to be ignored or twisted to justify whatever tyranny they wish to impose next.
Endless Wars Without Declarations: Another Blatant Betrayal
If Congress requires a declaration of war before sending American troops into battle, then why has the United States waged war after war without one? The Constitution is unequivocal: only Congress has the power to declare war. Yet, since World War II, America has launched military conflict after military conflict without a single formal declaration.
The Korean War? No declaration.
The Vietnam War? No declaration.
The Gulf War? No declaration.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria? No declarations.
Instead, presidents—both Democrat and Republican—have taken it upon themselves to unilaterally wage war, dragging the country into endless conflicts without a shred of constitutional legitimacy. Congress, spineless and complicit, has allowed this to happen, content to rubber-stamp vague Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs) that act as a pathetic excuse for a formal declaration.
James Madison himself warned us that unchecked war-making power would lead to the very tyranny we now face. In his own words:
“The executive is the branch of power most interested in war, and most prone to it. It is accordingly with studied care vested in the legislature.”
And yet, the modern presidency has completely seized this power, treating Congress as a mere formality—an obstacle to be bypassed rather than a co-equal branch of government.
The Founding Fathers’ Nightmare: America’s Descent into Lawlessness
America today is not the nation the Founding Fathers envisioned. It is not a constitutional republic governed by the rule of law. It is an unchecked, lawless empire ruled by bureaucrats, globalists, and career politicians who see the Constitution as nothing more than a historical artifact.
The Founding Fathers believed in limited government—a federal system with clearly defined, strictly limited powers.They explicitly designed the Constitution to prevent the federal government from overstepping its bounds. Yet today, we live under a government that:
- Creates agencies out of thin air with no constitutional justification.
- Spies on its own citizens through warrantless surveillance programs.
- Prints money out of control, devaluing the dollar and impoverishing future generations.
- Engages in endless wars without the legally required congressional declaration.
- Taxes Americans into submission while sending billions overseas.
This is not the republic the Founding Fathers fought for. It is a bloated, corrupt, lawless government that operates with no regard for constitutional limits.
Wake Up: The Constitution is Not Enforced—It is Ignored
The Constitution is not the law of the land—it is a prop used to pacify the masses while the real rulers do as they please. And the sooner Americans recognize this, the sooner we can take action—before the last remnants of the republic are erased completely.
Because make no mistake: America is not a constitutional republic anymore. It is something far darker, far more dangerous, and far more unrestrained. And until people rise up and demand a return to true constitutional governance, this nation will continue its descent into lawlessness.
Words from the Fathers:
I’ll end this rant with words by men far smarter and more interested in Liberty than any alive today:
1. George Washington
“The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon.”
- Washington knew that without adherence to the Constitution, the nation would descend into chaos and tyranny.
2. Thomas Jefferson
“When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.”
- A warning that when the government steps outside the Constitution, power flips from the people to the ruling class.
3. James Madison
“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”
- Madison, the “Father of the Constitution,” warned that if constitutional separation of powers is ignored, tyranny follows.
4. Benjamin Franklin
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
- Franklin predicted that abandoning constitutional protections in favor of government control would lead to the loss of all freedoms.
5. Alexander Hamilton
“If it be asked, what is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of our security in a Republic? The answer would be, an inviolable respect for the Constitution and Laws.”
- Hamilton understood that the Constitution must be strictly followed or security and order would collapse.
6. Patrick Henry
“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government—lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.”
- Henry warned that ignoring constitutional limits would allow government to become an oppressive force.
7. Samuel Adams
“The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil Constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks.”
- Adams called on Americans to actively resist any attempts to violate the Constitution.
8. Thomas Paine
“A Constitution is not the act of a government, but of a people constituting a government.”
- Paine emphasized that the government does not own the Constitution; the people do—and they must enforce it.
9. John Adams
“A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.”
- Adams warned that once the government abandons constitutional principles, freedom cannot simply be regained—it is lost.
10. George Mason
“No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people, but by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.”
- Mason made it clear: if we do not constantly uphold and return to the principles of the Constitution, we will lose our freedom.
These Founding Fathers foresaw the dangers of a government that does not follow the Constitution. Their words are warnings—and if America continues down this unconstitutional path, we will suffer exactly what they predicted.
Breaking Down Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution
The ONLY Powers of the Federal Government
Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution strictly defines what Congress is authorized to do. These are the enumerated powers, meaning they are limited and specific—not vague or open to broad interpretation. Anything outside this list is not a legitimate federal power. If the federal government is involved in any area not listed here, it is operating unconstitutionally.
Below is a breakdown of each clause in Article I, Section 8, along with what it means and how the government has abused or ignored it:
1. The Power to Tax and Spend for the General Welfare
“The Congress shall have Power 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;”
✔ What It Means:
- Congress can collect taxes for two specific reasons:
- To pay debts
- To fund the defense and general welfare of the United States
- All taxes must be uniform across all states.
❌ How It’s Been Abused:
- “General welfare” was never meant to justify endless federal spending! The Founders saw this as strictly limited spending, not an open-ended excuse for trillion-dollar welfare programs, foreign aid, or pet projects.
- The income tax (which came later via the 16th Amendment) has been manipulated into an unconstitutional redistribution of wealth.
- Federal spending on healthcare, education, social programs, and corporate bailouts is not authorized by this clause.
2. The Power to Borrow Money
“To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;”
✔ What It Means:
- Congress can borrow money for constitutional government functions.
❌ How It’s Been Abused:
- The federal government has racked up trillions in debt, borrowing recklessly to fund unconstitutional agencies and programs.
- The Federal Reserve (which is not even a constitutional entity) manipulates debt and interest rates, creating inflation and economic instability.
3. The Power to Regulate Commerce
“To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;”
✔ What It Means:
- Congress can prevent trade barriers between states.
- Congress can manage international trade and trade agreements.
- Congress can regulate trade with Native American tribes.
❌ How It’s Been Abused:
- The Commerce Clause has been wrongly expanded to regulate everything.
- The government controls industries and private businesses under the false claim that it falls under “commerce.”
- The FDA, EPA, OSHA, and countless other agencies justify their unconstitutional regulations using this clause—even though the Founders never intended for the government to micromanage businesses.
4. The Power to Establish Naturalization and Bankruptcy Laws
“To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;”
✔ What It Means:
- Congress is responsible for setting immigration rules (not the states).
- Bankruptcy laws must be uniform across all states.
❌ How It’s Been Abused:
- Open-border policies defy constitutional immigration laws.
- Congress refuses to enforce existing immigration laws, allowing executive agencies and states to dictate policy.
- The federal government bails out banks and corporations, instead of allowing bankruptcy laws to function properly.
5. The Power to Coin Money and Set its Value
“To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;”
✔ What It Means:
- Only Congress can create and regulate U.S. currency.
- The government must maintain a stable monetary system.
❌ How It’s Been Abused:
- The Federal Reserve was created in 1913, and Congress handed over its power to a private banking cartel!
- Instead of “coining” money backed by gold or silver, the Fed prints paper money out of thin air, devaluing the dollar and creating inflation.
6. The Power to Punish Counterfeiting
“To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;”
✔ What It Means:
- Congress must enforce laws against counterfeiting money and U.S. government bonds.
❌ How It’s Been Abused:
- The biggest counterfeiter today is the Federal Reserve itself, printing trillions of dollars with no backing.
7. The Power to Establish Post Offices and Roads
“To establish Post Offices and post Roads;”
✔ What It Means:
- Congress can create a postal service and mail delivery system.
- Congress can establish roads for mail transport (not highways, local roads, or transportation projects).
❌ How It’s Been Abused:
- The Department of Transportation and massive infrastructure spending go way beyond what this clause allows.
8. The Power to Declare War
“To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;”
✔ What It Means:
- ONLY Congress can declare war—NOT the president.
- Congress can authorize privateers (Letters of Marque).
❌ How It’s Been Abused:
- The U.S. has fought countless wars without a constitutional declaration from Congress (Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.).
- The War on Terror has been used to justify unlimited military intervention worldwide.
9. The Power to Raise and Support Armies (with a Two-Year Limit)
“To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;”
✔ What It Means:
- Congress can fund the Army, but only for two years at a time—to prevent standing armies from becoming permanent.
❌ How It’s Been Abused:
- The military-industrial complex has turned the U.S. into a permanent war machine, violating this clause.
10. The Power to Maintain a Navy
“To provide and maintain a Navy;”
✔ What It Means:
- Unlike the Army, the Navy can be maintained permanently.
❌ How It’s Been Abused:
- The Navy has been used to police the world, not just defend the country.
Conclusion: The Government Has Abandoned Article I, Section 8
Article I, Section 8 strictly limits federal power. Everything outside of these listed powers is unconstitutional.
Yet today, we have:
❌ Unconstitutional federal agencies controlling education, healthcare, and businesses.
❌ A Federal Reserve printing money with no constitutional backing.
❌ Endless wars fought without congressional approval.
❌ A government that takes trillions in taxes and spends it however it wants, ignoring constitutional limits.
The Founders gave us a limited government—but today, the government has no limits. Until Americans demand a return to constitutional rule, this lawless expansion of power will continue unchecked.
