US Constitution Article I § 8 Clauses 9-18

My Constitution project continues.

Article I, Section 8 of the US Constitution spells out all powers given to Congress. Congress chooses to do more than what it should these days, but technically that's not legal. You can read my previous post for the first 8 clauses, here are the rest of them:

Keep in mind that all of these clauses follow the statement: "Congress Shall have power to"

Clause 9: "To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;"
Very simply, Congress can create any number of federal courts under the US Supreme Court, which it has done over the years. These courts generally hear moderate level appeals or federal crimes.

Clause 10: "To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;"
Ah, piracy. One of the only crimes that Congress is allowed to enact laws against. We have thousands upon thousands of federal criminal statutes, but the only ones that are technically legal are those concerning piracy, counterfeiting of US currency, and treason (note that treason is the only crime defined in the Constitution in Article III § 3). The "Law of Nations" is a vague term, most likely meaning something committed in international waters to US citizens.

Clause 11: "To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;"
Only Congress can officially declare war, but just try telling that to Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Not to mention countless other presidents.

Clause 12: "To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;"
The Founding Fathers did not want us to be a military state, and in that end they wrote that money to fund armies cannot be given to them for more than two years. Loophole? Renew the appropriation.

Clause 13: "To provide and maintain a Navy;"
Many states border water, including practically all of the original 13 states. Putting their resources together could get them a larger fleet that could react to problems anywhere on the coast.

Clause 14: "To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;"
Congress is allowed to create laws regarding land and the navy.

Clause 15: "To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;"
The Militia can mean many things depending on the context. In this case, we are talking about organized state militias that almost every man belonged to at the time. There is no modern equivalent.

Clause 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 Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;"
This implies that Congress is allowed to regulate the militia while they are being used by the Federal government.

Clause 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;"
Clause 17 created allowed the creation and regulation by Congress of the federal district, now known as Washington, District of Columbia. DC, not being a state, does not have a representative in Congress, hence the "Taxation Without Representation" found on all DC license plates.

Clause 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."
Congress is allowed to make laws enforcing the previous 17 clauses. Note that the federal drug laws cannot be found in any of them, nor federal gun laws, anti-corruption laws (RICO), etc.

Hybrid Bullshit

All of these idiots (with the help of US govt tax breaks) are jumping on the hybrid bandwagon.  They are so dumb, here in Virginia some of them get a special custom license plate that says "Clean Special Fuel." 

 

I hate to break it to you, but your "clean special fuel" is the same gasoline that goes into a Hummer. 

 

OK enough about the idiots.  A recent study has just found out that to make these cute special vehicles takes much more energy than to make a non-hybrid, and since hybrids tend to turn into scrap more quickly than traditional cars (due to the batteries and other exotic components), their energy cost per mile is huge. 

 

Here's the link to the study. 

 

So, not only is your Prius the most ugly car on the road since Oldsmobile went under, but it's bad for the environment too!