The Declaration of Independence declares,
"all men ... are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights ...That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men ..."
The Preamble of the US Constitution shows how these rights are to be secured including,
"provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare".
Two clear distinctions should be made here:
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Provide implies actively and financially supporting; promote implies a more passive approach.
For example, I'll promote that we put on a grand feast, but I want you to provide it!
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General Welfare is not the same as individual Welfare. General Welfare would benefit the people generally, individual Welfare targets a certain segment of society to benefit, such as the poor.
Providing Individual Welfare is not authorized in the Constitution.
God, who endows us with life, liberty, property, and the right to pursue happiness, also exhorts individuals to care for the needy, the sick, the homeless, the aged, and those who are otherwise unable to care for themselves.
America’s welfare crisis is a government-induced crisis. Government social and cultural policies have undermined the work ethic, even as the government’s economic and regulatory policies have undermined the ability of our citizens to obtain work.
Charity, and provision of welfare to those in need, is not a Constitutional responsibility of the federal government. Under no circumstances should the taxpayers of the United States be obligated, under penalty of law through forced taxation, to assume the cost of providing welfare for other citizens. Neither should taxpayers be indentured to subsidize welfare for persons who enter the United States illegally.
The message of Christian charity is fundamentally at odds with the concept of welfare maintenance as a right. In many cases, welfare provisions by the Federal government are not only misdirected, but morally destructive. It is the intended purpose of civil government to safeguard life, liberty and property – not to redistribute wealth. Such redistribution is contrary to the Biblical command against theft.
We encourage individuals, families, churches, civic groups and other private organizations, to fulfill their personal responsibility to help that in need.
