This book strives to explain how a free people are more than able to provide for their own needs infinitely better than any conceivable government program. Within its pages I unveil my “One-Eight, One-Nine” plan to Empower People through Restrained Government. It’s a two part plan which addresses both the function and finance of the federal government by insisting upon adherence to existing Constitutional provisions. Government leaders fear it. “One-Eight” deals with function. It refers to Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution which specifically enumerates the powers authorized to be performed by congress. The plan seeks to awaken the people of the United States to the enormous benefits to society derived from our extremely limited Constitutional government, and insist that the federal government adhere to and honor its specific enumerated duties. We accomplish this task by educating ourselves and monitoring those we elect to office to ensure they follow the Constitution. Those which don’t must be voted out. “One-Nine” deals with financing. It refers to Article 1 Section 9 which specifically states that money may only be drawn from the federal treasury to pay for enumerated Constitutional functions. All spending outside this authority is unconstitutional. Implementing the Constitutional provisions of “One-Eight, One-Nine” is achieved through my “Negative Baseline” program. Current policy automatically increases annual spending on non-Constitutional programs through baseline budgeting. My “Negative Baseline” instead reduces this spending causing all non-Constitutional spending to simply fade away. Contrary to popular belief, I discuss how the reductions will be relatively painless. Unneeded federal employees, as well as those dependant on the federal government, will be enthusiastically absorbed by a revitalized free market. The only way to solve our nation’s problems is through an educated electorate desiring to replace self serving politicians with those wishing to truly secure our liberty.
