In ARTICLE I, SECTION 8, of the Constitution for the United States of America, the people gave Congress the power to:

To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States; To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States [that is Washington D.C.], and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Under the X AMENDMENT to the Constitution for the United States of America, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” This means congress is limited to the 18 items listed in ARTICLE I, SECTION 8. While many may be familiar with the list from ARTICLE I, SECTION 8, few are familiar with the powers vested in the General Assembly of Tennessee in the Constitution of Tennessee.

ARTICLE II, SECTION 3: Legislative authority

ARTICLE II, SECTION 24: Pass a balanced budget and collect tax revenues to cover expenses

ARTICLE II, SECCTION 29 – Give counties and towns power to lay taxes

ARTICLE XI, SECTION 4: Grant divorces through the courts – delegated to the courts

ARTICLE XI, SECTION 6: Establish laws for changing names

ARTICLE XI, SECTION 7: Set interest rates

ARTICLE XI, SECTION 9: Authorize a lottery to fund education

ARTICLE XI, SECTION 10 Encourage internal improvements (road, railroads, cannels, etc.)

ARTICLE XI, SECTION 12 Provide for the maintenance, support and eligibility standards of a system of free public schools

ARTICLE XI, SECTION 13 Protect game and fish

Libertarians believe in limiting government functions to the items specified in their Constitutions or founding charters. Government spending and taxes could be cut by at least 50% if governments would only do those things the people have authorized them to do.

PROMOTION OF LIBERTY

Libertarians believe that for the most part, governments are exceeding their proper functions. Libertarians call for an immediate reduction of the role government plays in all aspects of our life. Libertarians recommend that every function currently being conducted by the government should be evaluated to see if it can be done more efficiently (at a lower cost) and at a better quality level by a non-government entity. Most often any function that is being performed by both the market sector and the government will be done at about half of the cost and twice the quality by the market sector than it is being done by the government. Please view the Libertarian Party of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County’s Issues Page and the National Libertarian Parties Platform to get a better idea of what Libertarians believe. You may also want to check out our Reading Room for more information on Libertarians. Of course, all Libertarians do not necessarily hold the same views on all topics. WHAT LIBERTARIANS BELIEVE presents some of the ideas held by many Libertarians. If you have some specific questions please feel free to direct them the Libertarian Party of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County.