The Big Swindle (Power and Money)

by Susan Snelliing

“No pecuniary consideration is more urgent, than the regular redemption and discharge of the public debt: on none can delay be more injurious, or an economy of time more valuable.” George Washington, 1793

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”  1 Timothy 1:1-4

Power and money together can lead to abuses. The Founding Fathers were well aware of this relationship. Under the Constitution, Congress (the House) was given the power of the purse and they have access to the peoples’ money through taxation and along with that comes the responsibility to spend it wisely.

Davy Crockett noted a problem when those in power have the authority to spend the money of others. Congress at once treats the peoples’ money as nothing when it comes to spending, yet gives up all decency to obtain it for themselves. Crockett said, “Money with them [Congressmen] is nothing but trash when it is to come out of the people. But it is the one great thing for which most of them are striving, and many of them sacrifice honor, integrity, and justice to obtain it.” 

Congress is more than willing to spend citizens’ money liberally with little regard for the hard work that Americans put into their prosperity. They are quick to disperse the money, even for programs that do not have an ounce of benefit to America and the people that labor every day. Thomas Jefferson said it was sinful and tyrannical to do this. In his words, “To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.” Jefferson also said, “The principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.” 

Jefferson regarded economy as an important virtue and public debt as the greatest of dangers to be feared. He believed it was necessary in order to preserve our independence, to avoid public debt. He warned against letting our rulers saddle us with perpetual debt as he put it. “I place economy among the first and most important virtues, and public debt as the greatest of dangers to be feared. To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. If we run into such debts, we must be taxed in our meat and drink, in our necessities and in our comforts, in our labor and in our amusements.”

Thomas Paine warned us to “Beware the greedy hand of government thrusting itself into every corner and crevice of industry.” People are not pleased when their money is squandered and spent in ways they do not approve. It wastes their hard work and sacrifice, and even in some cases violates their good judgment and deeply held beliefs. And all this is done, as Thomas Jefferson says, “under the pretense of ‘taking care of us.’”

Jefferson was convinced the people would be happy if the government was prevented from wasting the labors of the people. As a matter of fact, he said:  “I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution. I would be willing to depend on that alone for the reduction of the administration of our government to the genuine principles of its Constitution; I mean an additional article, taking from the federal government the power of borrowing.” 

Jefferson regarded the government’s unlimited borrowing and saddling with unreasonable public debt a violation of the principles of the Constitution. So, according to the Founders, it is unconstitutional, sinful, tyrannical, swindling, a danger to our independence, and shows a lack of virtue for Congress to spend unwisely and to saddle us with continual and mounting public debt.

The Founding Fathers were concerned about curbing out of control spending and restricting the public debt so they could, as the Framers said in the Preamble to the Constitution: “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” Where are we today? Both main political parties love to spend our money but one of them is particularly adept at spending taxpayer dollars without regard for the future. They are spending America into oblivion and destroying the future of those yet to come. This unbridled spending and public debt is a threat to the future of America itself.

Every American family has to live within their means or trouble ensues yet our government officials can spend like there’s no tomorrow. There will be no tomorrow without putting a stop to unnecessary spending. We would probably be appalled at all the programs and projects that our tax dollars are being wasted on that have no basis in reality and do not truly benefit “we the people.” Is this another fail of the Founders’ posterity? Americans have a responsibility to engage in behavior and policies that continue this “grand experiment” of America. How are we doing?