In essence, that's what we have because that's what the government does. General Welfare has been used to promote the vast majority of what the federal government does, good or bad. However, you're building a strawman argument in saying "whatever it likes". It may be the case that government is in fact doing whatever they like, but thats not what it says it says to "promote the general welfare", not to "promote whatever the government likes". If we believe the government is wrongfully promoting something outside of the general welfare they are charged to uphold, take it to the supreme court. that's their job.

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True knowledge exists in being aware of what you don't know.

The government does.

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True knowledge exists in being aware of what you don't know.

What does that mean exactly?

Great. So whats the limit? At what point would you say its no longer justified to steal one's benefits from labor? If the government decides to take 70%, is that still okay? 80%? 90%?

Because with the growth of the welfare state and the retirement of the greedy baby boomers, we are headed for a time when our youth are going to face such crushing impossibilities.

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Qur'an:8:39 Fight them until all opposition ends and all submit to Allah.
Qur'an:8:67 It is not fitting for any prophet to have prisoners until he has made a great slaughter in the land.
Qur'an 8:12 I will terrorize the unbelievers...Strike off their heads and cut off each of their fingers and toes.
Qur'an 9:5 Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, torture them, and lie in wait and ambush them using every stratagem of war.

That means any good thing can be twisted to the will of those who would corrupt it.
At the point where it no longer promotes the general welfare. This is Congress's job to decide and the Court's job to regulate.

__________________
True knowledge exists in being aware of what you don't know.

Maybe in China or Cuba.

Natrually. Because we never elect representatives in this country to make decisions for us.

__________________
True knowledge exists in being aware of what you don't know.

It's not a strawman because general welfare is vague and can be used as "whatever it likes." All they have to say is "well we deem it in the general welfare of the US to do this."

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All you need to know about the energy crisis:
ANWR Exploration Republicans: 91% Supported. Democrats: 86% Opposed.
Coal-to-liquid R's: 90% YES. D's: 78% NO.
Oil Shale Exploration R's: 90% YES. D's: 86% NO.
Outer Continental Shelf Exploration R's: 81% YES. D's: 83% NO.
Increased Refinery Capacity R's: 97% YES. D's: 96% NO

SUMMARY: 91% of House Republicans have historically voted to increase the production of America’s own oil and gas. 86% of House Democrats have historically voted against.

I agree, it is dangerous, but it is still not so vague that it amounts to "whatever it likes". There are limits as evident by the fact that many laws have been struck down by the supreme court or simply not passed because of a threat from the supreme court. We have to keep a very good eye of the government and how they use their power. We have the ability to check the use of that congressional power in many ways:

Impeachment
The Supreme Court
Lower Courts
Elections and demands to our elected representatives
Change the constitution

People just need to keep an eye on it and get involved....

__________________
True knowledge exists in being aware of what you don't know.

This is exactly the reason that government power (like taxes) must be severely limited. Power corrupts and all.

Just another "believer" in government.

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Qur'an:8:39 Fight them until all opposition ends and all submit to Allah.
Qur'an:8:67 It is not fitting for any prophet to have prisoners until he has made a great slaughter in the land.
Qur'an 8:12 I will terrorize the unbelievers...Strike off their heads and cut off each of their fingers and toes.
Qur'an 9:5 Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, torture them, and lie in wait and ambush them using every stratagem of war.

It's congress's job to make decisions, but it's our decision who goes into congress. As I mentioned in my post above, we have several tools to control the power of congress:

Impeachment
The Supreme Court
Lower Courts
Elections and demands to our elected representatives
Change the constitution

Congress makes decisions, we keep an eye on congress. If anyone is failing in their job, its the people watching congress. I'm glad there are people like you keeping an eye out (or are you just talking?). Nevertheless, that doesn't mean we have to all agree.

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True knowledge exists in being aware of what you don't know.