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IT'S TIME TO TELL GOVERNMENT TO QUIT USURPING OUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBLY

I’m not a fan of Fox News personality Neil Cavuto. He’s on my short list, along with Chris Wallace and Brit Hume, of those on Fox News who shouldn't be trusted to be “fair and balanced.” But he did say something that is worth quoting relative to personal responsibility and the urgent need of Americans to get government off our backs, out of our faces, and out of our business; to quit usurping personal responsibility that belongs to us as individuals and not to government—whether this has to do with washing our hands, taking a walk, going to work or opening or closing a privately owned business. The U.S. Constitution specifically grants only 17 powers to government, other than these, they need to be made to get out of our business. These are listed at the end of this Cavuto quote:

“It's about food. It's about your home. It's about your life. The government

is worried about all of the above. All I'm saying is you should be worried

they're worried. Here's why: They're telling you that you can't take care of

yourself. You can't be trusted with what you put in your mouth or what you

sign on the mortgage dotted line. So they'll tell you what to put in your

mouth and they'll save you from what you signed on that dotted line. Does

anyone see a trend here? Personal responsibility has now become

government responsibility.”

John Dewey was not a friend of individual freedom, but he understood that when things that are clearly matters for the exercise of ones personal responsibility are taken over in any way by government, this is a giant step towards enslavement by government. Dewey said, “Any doctrine that weakens responsibility for judgment and for action … helps create the attitudes that welcome and support the totalitarian state.”


In Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution only grants 17 Congressional powers are granted to the federal government. Do what you can to make sure your friends and family, etc. are familiar with these; it may help slow down governmental tyranny. The federal government is only authorized by law to operate in the following areas:

  1. Lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

  2. Borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

  3. Regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

  4. Establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

  5. Coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

  6. Provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

  7. Establish Post Offices and post Roads;

  8. Promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

  9. Constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

  10. Define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

  11. Declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

  12. Raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

  13. Provide and maintain a Navy; to Make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

  14. Provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

  15. 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;

  16. 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; And

  17. 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.

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