TELSA CEO BUYS $17 MILLION MANSION

Actually, you are wrong there, too. The Framers knew a democracy led to disaster, which is why they founded our government on law, the Constitution, and not the will of the majority. They understood that the majority would always vote themselves into dependence. They tried everything they could to limit the will of the majority when they went afoul of the enumerated powers of the Constitution. Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

No, I'm not wrong there, either. Are you saying we don't have the power to vote Congressmen out?

Of course we do. The fact that we don't means we have a lazy electorate or at least 51% or more of the people are content with their Congressmen. Tough luck if you are part of the 49%. But that is how democracy works.

And the Constitutions does limit the power of the majority in many ways. But not on spending. That is straight up vote on who gets the money and who doesn't.

And really, how could it be otherwise? Do you really want to live in a country where a minority of the Congress, not the majority, controls spending?

Contrary to what you wrote above, our government IS founded on the will of the majority, but with important restrictions on what the majority can do to abuse the minority. But those restrictions don't apply to the spending power.

We should not have to vote them out. They should never have gotten in in the first place. Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

What is that supposed to mean?

Do you have some crystal ball that you can peer into to tell us who the "good" candidates are and who the bad candidates are?

Repeal the ghastly 17th Amendment, and see how much power will be returned to the states. Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

That I actually support.

I love America. I just hate stupid zealots. You probably wish you were living back then so you could burn witches...

you babble on so long and so often that it's easy to predict when you've moved into the "indefensible bullshit zone," and are about to get your ass handed to you again. It usually begins with a statement of nonsense, followed by a passionate and condescending defense of the nonsense, followed by insults, followed by getting your ass handed to you.

Like in this thread.

Babble on, Unawhiner !

"Our tenet ever was that Congress had not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but were restrained to those specifically enumerated, and that, as it was never meant that they should provide for that welfare but by the exercise of the enumerated powers, so it could not have been meant they should raise money for purposes which the enumeration did not place under their action; consequently, that the specification of powers is a limitation of the purposes for which they may raise money. "
-- Thomas Jefferson letter to Albert Gallatin, 1817

Madison was not in power when that occurred. I'd like to see on what basis Congress authorized that, but it is clear there was never any intent by the Founders to allow Congress to spend money on anything it damn well wants.

Here's Madison on the same topic:

"If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one...."
-- James Madison, letter to Edmund Pendleton, January 21, 1792

It's pretty clear that Madison has a much clearer idea of the Constitution than our current legislators. I agree with him. And I think my "cramped" reading of the Constitution is quite likely very close to Madison's.

No, I'm not wrong there, either. Are you saying we don't have the power to vote Congressmen out? They run on getting money for their constituents.

Of course we do. The fact that we don't means we have a lazy electorate or at least 51% or more of the people are content with their Congressmen. Tough luck if you are part of the 49%. But that is how democracy works. We are NOT a democracy! In the late 1700s "democrat" was an insult!

And the Constitutions does limit the power of the majority in many ways. But not on spending. That is straight up vote on who gets the money and who doesn't. See my earlier post. That is simply not true.

And really, how could it be otherwise? Do you really want to live in a country where a minority of the Congress, not the majority, controls spending? No. I want to live in a country where the established rule of law is followed. Once an electorate learns they can vote themselves money from the Treasury, they will ALWAYS vote that way

Contrary to what you wrote above, our government IS founded on the will of the majority, but with important restrictions on what the majority can do to abuse the minority. But those restrictions don't apply to the spending power. Yes, they do.

Do you have some crystal ball that you can peer into to tell us who the "good" candidates are and who the bad candidates are? No, I can figure that out on my own, which is why I never vote for Democrats or Republicans. Originally Posted by ExNYer

Sorry, ExNYer. You're simply wrong on this one.

According to Obama, my taxzes are investing in America. I think I have a piss poor investment advisor, it does not seem like his portfolio is performing very well.

YOu know when I get my statement from my investment accounts it generally shows what my return on investment is. Sure don't get that from the government.

I hope all of those people charging their cars are using solar panels or windmills. Sure hate to know they are using coal fired power plants to charge them or god forbid a nuke.

Musk was mainly in internet entrepeneur who made billions with PayPal and Youtube. There was a cable TV special on his life and his accomplishments at a young age. His Telsa motor startup was financed with his money. He did get interest and money from both Benz and GM. I don't know if those $ ultimately came from Uncle Same. He then got big money from Uncle Sam. His car had several innovations that made it investment worthy. There's been a lot of problems with ramping the car in full scale
because the company is more engineering than bringing the car to full scale production.

I hope he is successful with Telsa and SpaceX program. Originally Posted by gnadfly

I wish him success as well; but NOT with taxpayer money...let him fund his activities thru private equity venture capital !