If we follow the Declaration of Independence, then it is past time to overthrow the U.S. government.

-------------------------- MY OPPONENT's COUNTER-CASE: "How is taxation an undue burden? " "To do away with taxes is to undo government and create anarchy. " I do not contend this; however, my point was actually not that taxes are unjust, but that they are abusive. "For the "mainstream America" in the fifty states of the United States, however, each state has representation in. .. Congress. " However, these people do not represent the United States people in the regulating process. For example, the FDA and the EPA, while having a purpose, are regulating liberty from the people. They are bureaucratic institutions who issue regulations without having a check on them. The people ultimately have no say in what happens in these institutions, as the President can only decide who runs the EPA or the FDA. The head of the EPA is not elected. Neither is the head of the FDA nor the people in either of such examples of regulatory bureaucracy. Presidential candidates do not even tell the people that they plan to select for this purpose. "I find that Pro has not established why beauracracies are an unconstitutional use of authority. " No I have not. Well, hear we go: The Constitution, the document that allows a government to govern a people, does not allow for such bureacracies to exist (Executive: . http://www.law.cornell.edu... ) (Legislative: . http://www.law.cornell.edu... ). Such powers are clearly ceded to the states in the 10th ammendment, which states: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. " . http://www.law.cornell.edu... What we can interpret from this is that governmental power outside of what the federal government can do according to the constitution must be achieved through the states. "This could readily be observed in history when several states decided to secede from what they determined to be a too powerful central government to form a confederacy. .. because its model of a weak central government with no real ability to levy taxes to fund itself was ultimately, conclusively unsustainable. " This is historically false. The Civil War was not a fair fight, as the Union had more resources people, and industry. . http://americancivilwar.com... My opponent makes a false claim as to why the Confederacy collapsed. Ultimately, this is irrelevant, as the debate depends on whether federal authority has broken, or whether liberty or the pursuit of happiness has been assaulted. ---------------------------------- THE PURPOSE OF A CONSTITUTION Constitutions are established as social contracts between people and their government. The Constitution is a necessary check on the powers of government and on the people. The will of the majority is almost never what's best for the whole. Says Thomas Jefferson, "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine. " . http://www.brainyquote.com... Therefore, it becomes necessary for a constitution to check on government. The will of the majority in Russia wanted the tyrrany that they saw as equality in socialism. However, unlimited power was vested in the government as a result, and the result was the totalitarian Soviet regime of Stalin. . http://encarta.msn.com... . http://honolulu.hawaii.edu... Concluding thoughts on the need for constitutional government: A constitution is necessary to keep power in check. Though our government has expanded gradually and not suddenly, unlimited government is tyrrany all the same. There is a detailed ammendment process for the constitution, but never-the-less, the constitution has been ignored rather than ammended. -------------------- Specifice powers of congress. For future reference to my opponent, the full list of powers delegated to congress can be found in section 8 of the first article of the United States Constitution. . http://www.archives.gov... Government has the power "to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes". Government has the power "to lay and collect Taxes. .. to pay. .. for the. .. general Welfare of the United States" . http://www.archives.gov... This clearly does not include the power to regulate for such purposes. ------------------------ SPECIFIC CLAIMS OF INFRINGEMENT OF THE POWERS DELEGATED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT - "Congress has also authorized EPA and other government agencies to create and enforce regulations" . http://www.epa.gov... Congress has given a power it doesn't have, (to regulate personal decisions), to an unelected bureaucracy. While this has a purpose, it is not consented by the people through the constitution. - The FDA is involved in "regulating almost 124,000 business establishments" . http://www.fda.gov... Congress has given a power it doesn't have, (to regulate businesses and intra-state commerce), to an unelected bureaucracy. While this has a purpose, it is not consented through the constitution. - "The Department of Transportation was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966" . http://www.dot.gov... Congess has given a power it doesn't have, (to regulate transportation), to an unelected bureaucracy. While this has a purpose, it is not consented by the people through the constitution. - "USDA has. .. [been] expanding markets for agricultural products and support international economic development, further developing alternative markets for agricultural products and activities, providing financing needed to help expand job opportunities and improve housing, utilities and infrastructure in rural America, enhancing food safety by taking steps to reduce the prevalence of foodborne hazards from farm to table, improving nutrition and health by providing food assistance and nutrition education and promotion, and managing and protecting America's public and private lands" . http://www.usda.gov... - The Department of Energy regulates energy use and production . http://www.energy.gov... While there may be purpose in this, the power to regulate such a thing is reserved to the states rather than an unelected bureaucracy. -ETC This could go one for quite a while. There are many other such actions of government that go beyond the powers vested to the government through the constitution. ------------------ OVERBEARING TAXES While the government needs a source of revenue, certain taxes impeed the right to pursue happiness. For example, government has implemented the crude oil windfall profits tax on crude oil. . http://www.taxhistory.org... Capital gains taxes have been instituted. . http://taxes.about.com... These policies discourage success, reinvestment, and ultimately the ability of one to pursue one's happiness. ----------------- The Declaration of Independence stated that people should abolish government that is opressive. Unconstitutional limits on liberty and burdens on the Pursuit of Happiness are indeed enough to justify such a thing. The resolution is affirmed.