Originally recorded 11-19-2009:
Rob Natelson, a leading expert on the framing and adoption of the United States Constitution, offers a lesson on the general Welfare clause. He discusses the original meaning of the words themselves, the meaning of “general welfare” in the preamble, and the original meaning and understanding of the clause.
He also explains the taxing clause, the Hamiltonian vs the Madisonian view, anti-federalist concerns, modern interpretations, court cases which have turned its meaning upside down, practical reasons for a limiting view of the clause and the Constitution as a whole, and more.
Mentioned in this Show
More from Rob Natelson:
Are Campaign Finance Laws Constitutional?
Claiming Almost Everything is “Commerce”
Michael Boldin [send him email] is the founder of the Tenth Amendment Center. He was raised in Milwaukee, WI, and currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. Follow him on twitter - @michaelboldin and Facebook.
Latest posts by Michael Boldin (see all)
- Constitution Enforcement: 6 Ignored Steps That Actually Work - July 22, 2026
- Constitution: The REAL Reason it Even Exists. - July 15, 2026
- The Foundation of the Constitution: Top-5 Principles from the American Revolution - July 12, 2026