Anti-Federalist Fears are Today’s Reality
Posted by Orrin Woodward on April 8, 2014
The Federalist/Anti-Federalist debates at the founding of America have some of the best insights into government and society that have ever been written. Unfortunately, few have read both sides of the debate. I am working on a book project that will provide the main points from both sides and discuss where history has proven each side right.
LIFE Leadership is about providing truth for one to learn how to think and reason in order to better his/her life. I am so thankful I get to do what I do with the greatest compensated community and customer base in the world! 🙂 Below is a short segment from the upcoming work.
Sincerely,
The Anti-Federalist
“[C]onstitutions are not so necessary to regulate the conduct
of good rulers as to restrain that of bad ones.”
—Robert Yates (Brutus), Anti-Federalist
What the Anti-Federalists Had to Say
The Anti-Federalists had a number of very important things to say about the powers of the sword and the purse. For example, as one Anti-Federalist wrote in the Pennsylvania Minority Report: “[T]he new government will not be a [cooperation] of states, as it ought, but one consolidated government, founded upon the [federal control] of…the states…”
In other words, one huge problem with the Constitution was that it gave too much power to the federal government, swinging the nation in the direction of Coercion—as I have already discussed. But the really interesting thing is exactly how the Pennsylvania Minority Report predicted that this would happen:
The Federalists
“The powers of Congress under the new constitution, are complete and unlimited over the purse and the sword, and are perfectly independent of, and supreme over, the state governments, whose intervention in these great points is entirely destroyed. By virtue of their power of taxation, Congress may command the whole, or any part of the property of the people.
“They may impose what imposts upon commerce; they may impose what land taxes, poll taxes, excises, duties on all written instruments, and duties on every other article that they may judge proper; in short, every species of taxation, whether of an external or internal nature is comprised in section the 8th, of article the 1st [of the Constitution], viz., ‘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.”
This was a major concern for the Anti-Federalists. They predicted that the federal government would use the power of the sword as an excuse to increase the federal power of the purse, and then just keep increasing their powers until the federal government did much, much more than protect our national defense.
They saw that the federal powers of sword and purse would lead to federal involvement in every facet of our lives. This is exactly what happened.
20 Responses to “Anti-Federalist Fears are Today’s Reality”
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Chad Waters said
Hi Orrin,
We as a society have become robots in general just accepting what has happened and letting the neglect continue.
I’m glad we know a small group of people willing to fight for the change!
God Bless
Chad.
Matt Mielke said
I love the learning! What I once thought unimportant turns out to be essential, civic understanding and duty.
Elizabeth Sieracki said
Once again, you are taking the complex (at least in my head) and simplifying it to make understandable and applicable. Thank you
Rick Satterstrom said
Thank you for more insight into the differences between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Keep it coming! You make it easier to understand.
Aron Radosa said
Orrin,
The power to think again is being created with Life Leadership community. The less we think = the more we react = the more we can be controlled. The power of government in every part of our lives fell upon me last night. I talked with a 23 y/o single mom who just signed up for “affordable care” this year. She is contemplating owning her own business but was stopped in her tracks when discovering if she makes more than 19,000/yr, she loses her health care and has to pay it all back. That is at least 8,000 below poverty line! Control the purse, you control the people. I love your insight and look forward to your freedom book and project!
God bless,
Aron
Orrin Woodward said
Wow! I had not heard that Aron. Excellent insight into the connection between Anti-Federalist thought and where we are today! 🙂
Randy Robson said
After listening to the recent Patrick Henry CD by Orrin, Patrick Henry has become my most favorite Founder! What insight these guys had.
Orrin Woodward said
Patrick Henry is my favorite also! 🙂
David Fidler said
As I have been reading the Anti-Federalist lately I have been utterly amazed as to how accurately they painted our current day.
It appears to me in my readings that while the Federalist side of the argument did not trust the government they seemed to be fully adhered to the notion that the involvement of the people in governance would maintain though out the history of the Republic. Sadly this proved not to be true.
Orrin, can you enlighten me as to why while most are at least familiar (although almost none have read) the Federalist Papers almost no one has even heard of the Anti-Federalist Papers?
Orrin Woodward said
David, I believe since the State runs the educational system, any anti-State thought is ridiculed, scorned, or mocked regardless of the validity or truthfulness of the material. Because mainstream education, media, and politics are creatures of the state and thus why truth must be sought outside of mainstream. If only there was a community that focused on truth instead of propaganda. 🙂
David Fidler said
Yes that is true, but I have found that even amongst more conservative circles, those who supposedly study the Federalist Papers and such still are very ignorant of the Anti-Federalist Papers. I am sad to admit that even as ‘educated’ as I thought I was on the writings of the Founding Fathers I was wholly ignorant of the Anti-Federalist Papers until I started under the mentorship of Ian and Emma Cox and then read your book “Leadershift”
Of course a community dedicated to real and honest education, entrepreneurship, leadership and real character would be an awesome boon to accomplishing the vision of ALL of the founding fathers. 😀 You might even say it would inject real LIFE into out nation. 😉
Chris Gornik said
I’m a 31 year male who has been educated by the private and public sector and has earned up too a bachelors degree, and I have yet to have read anything as thought provoking and important as what you discuss here. Thank you Orrin for the truth and providing a platform where a 31yr old can get a REAL education.
OJ said
Thanks Orrin,
You make learning the things that are crucial to our very way of life seem so simple. By doing this, it makes it more likely that we will have much more success in educating the general populace through a self directed education than through the “main stream media” and college.
Clearly you, LIFE Leadership and myself are not the first group of people to feel this way. Why do you think it is that no other person or group of people have had any (or very little) success is truly making a lasting change in our society? Do you feel that it is the “me against the world” mentality that causes others to eventually give in and just accept things as they are? It almost seems as though “We The People” have given up on We The People.
I love what you are doing and am proud to be a (very small) part of the movement and know in my heart that the future of our country is bright..Thanks Orrin.
PEACE.
Orrin Woodward said
OJ, I believe everything rises and falls on leadership so it must be a combination of learning and leading. Few have kept learning and leading in the area of liberty especially in today’s Statist culture where everyone looks to the government to fix everything. 🙂 Step by step, person by person, we can make a difference. 🙂 thanks, Orrin
robert wilcox said
ORRIN !! Fantastic…short sweet but wow ! I cannot wait for more! Thank you for sharing
Easton Kelsey said
Orrin,
It is wonderful to have someone with your insight to make the complex as simple as Power over purse and sword.
I remember when I was running for Congress 4 years ago and I was studying the Constitution carefully and did wonder why there was such broad and general powers given to Congress for taxation.
However I do believe the Constitution was a godly inspired document. How do we reconcile that these men were inspired but also we’re men with imperfections of form and thought?
Orrin Woodward said
Easton, I believe the Constitution, although an impressive document, is not at the standard of God’s inspired scriptures; therefore, it has unchecked FLD possibilities built into the document. Interestingly, the much maligned Articles of Confederation checked the expansion of FLD much more effectively than the new Constitution. In a sense, the new Constitution, although following many solid principles, was highly innovative in its allowing the Federal government power over purse and sword. The Articles, along with the English political structure, had always separated the power to propose from the power to dispose. Once this became centralized into the same government, even though in separate branches, society lost its most secure protection against government overreach.
I will explain this much further in an upcoming book, but I believe the founders were men, not angels; therefore subject to the same faults and foibles as the rest of us. The enlightenment faith in man caused many to rely too much on the virtue of man which is about as un-solid a foundation for long-lasting concord as I know. 🙂 You are on the right track and thought process Easton! God Bless, Orrin
Dave Mooney said
Orrin: I was first introduced to you in ’09 through Team and Mona-vie & LIFE in 11/11/11 Since that time I have read more books about our government than any one of my friends. I do not care for the way our government works and realized that some of us must make change happen. It is now my goal to inform as many people as I can to learn & read to make a difference in our local, state and federal governments. We must pass on the Legacy & Heritage that our founding fathers fought so hard to put in motion and to do away with the current policies and actions of our current government.
Orrin Woodward said
Dave, Sounds great! Read my last book And Justice for All as it points towards a solution and the books to read to understand the problem properly. GREAT JOB! thanks, Orrin
Anastacio said
Thanks, Orrin! Glad to be learning about these matters in the beginning stages of my life!