Editor, Gazette-Journal:

This is in response to Rep. Wittman on the Constitutional authority to authorize federally subsidizing broadband (Jan. 20 Readers Write).

The Preamble of the Constitution states that “We the People, in Order to … promote the general Welfare … establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” This makes it clear that promoting general welfare is a reason to establish the Constitution. The Constitution fulfills this by specifically listing those things Congress can spend money on. If Congress could spend money on anything it considered beneficial to the citizens, there would not be the enumerated list of only those things that Congress can spend money on.

Wittman’s answer is Article One Section 8 as the authority for spending money for broadband. This reference to Welfare as the category for which follows the 10 powers that are listed and the category to provide for the Common Defense has seven ways listed. The Necessary and Proper reference gives Congress the power to make laws that are necessary and proper to carry out the enumerated powers.

The listed powers authorizes the federal government to protect our God-given rights and to provide for the common defense. Nowhere does it authorize the federal government to subsidize foreign aid handouts, unemployment benefits, subsidized housing, education, the Green New Deal, handouts to illegal immigrants, subsidized internet or any other share-the-wealth schemes.

As a result of unconstitutional spending, we have a national debt that equals $287,859 per taxpaying household as of Dec. 15, 2021.

Sue Long
North, Va.