Fourteen Ways to Reduce Government Spending

Grover Norquist proposes Fourteen Ways to Reduce Government Spending. These proposals would save millions and millions of dollars. These proposals will never by implemented by Republicans, to say nothing of Democrats.

Unfortunately, trillions need to be cut, not just millions.

I can't think of an easier and more powerful way to cut government spending, however, than observing one of the "first principles" of the Constitution: the "enumerated powers" doctrine.

Cut all government programs for which no authority is enumerated in the Constitution.

So here are 14 ways to cut trillions of dollars of government spending.

No doubt some will say that some of those Departments have Constitutional approval, such as the Defense (War) Department. I would argue that the modern Defense Department more resembles what the Founders feared: "standing armies." The Constitution authorizes the federal government "To raise and support Armies," which I interpret to mean, "when an invasion occurs or is imminent." The modern perpetual military-industrial complex violates the very next phrase of this Constitutional provision: "but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years." The Defense Machine has been operating consistently since at least 1961:



Use the comment box below to list any other Department that you feel was "enumerated" -- in its present form -- and cannot have at least 50% of its budget slashed.