The unfortunate disaster in Haiti,(a quick recovery and successful future are deeply in my thoughts as my heart feels for them in this terrible time) has brought about a serious cause and unification in many governments and organizations from around the world to quit differences and unite to bring help and comfort to millions of people who very, very much need it.
This is truly a wonderful thing to behold, seeing millions of people who have nothing in common with those suffering, doing what they can to alleviate the pain of those endangered.
However, this raises a very curious question. Should a democratic ( or a federal constitutional republic, in the United States case) government use public funds to help people?
Now before I'm burned at the stake or labeled as something less than polite, I'd like to state that this is merely from an analytical point of view. I am a student of the constitution, and only comparing our current course of action against the rules and laws by which this great nation was created and successful by.
Based on a recent poll by CBS, it seems that most of Americans would agree that it is the U.S Governments responsibility to help them (Poll Below)
CBS News Poll. Jan. 14-17, 2010. N=1,090 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
"Do you think the United States has a responsibility to provide humanitarian assistance to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, or doesn't the United States have this responsibility?"
Has Responsibility 84%
Doesn't have responsibility 11%
Unsure 5%.
With this being said, let us look to the constitution to see what it has to say about using taxpayers money.
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;
To 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;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To 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;
To 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
To 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.Article 1, Section 8- United States Constitution
Nowhere, does it say that taxpayers money can or should be used in situations such as the disaster in Haiti- As Haiti is a sovereign nation in and of itself.
This does not imply that the Government should do nothing, rather the opposite. It should aid private charity in the way that it has for a very long time- either give tax breaks, or make the buying of aid supplies tax exempt.
While most Americans are okay with having their money taken from them (after all, if the government takes their money away before they even receive it, the people never miss it), many Americans are not pleased with such actions.
I'll leave you with something to think about.
If someone holds a gun up to you and steals your wallet and money. Thats stealing.
If someone holds a gun up to you and steals your wallet and money, then proceeds to give it to homeless people. That is also stealing.
