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“Internal improvements” were pork-barrel public works projects. Tax revenues were to be spent for programs that benefited everyone, not a specific segment of the population.
The Confederate Founders also tried to make sure that there would be no open-ended commitments or entitlement programs in the Confederate States
In another attack on pork-barrel spending, the Confederate Constitution gave the President a line-item veto. “The President may approve any appropriation and disapprove any other appropriation in the same bill.” Anticipating the U.S. Constitutional amendment that would become necessary after Franklin Roosevelt’s four terms, the President himself would serve only one, six-year term.
In many circumstances, Confederate appropriations required a two-thirds majority rather than a simple majority. Without the President’s request, for example, a two-thirds majority of both Houses would have been necessary for Congress to spend any money. This one provision, if adopted in the U.S. Constitution, would eliminate much of the spending that goes on today.
“All bills appropriating money shall specify…the exact amount of each appropriation, and the purposes for which it is made,” said the document. “And Congress shall grant no extra compensation to any public contractor, officer, agent, or servant, after such contract shall have been made or such service rendered.” Such a provision would have eliminated the cost-overrun,” a favorite boondoggle of today’s government contractors.
The Confederate Constitution also eliminated omnibus spending bills by requiring all legislation to “relate to but one subject,” which had to be “expressed in the title.” There would be no “Christmas-tree” appropriations bills or hidden expenditures.
These changes would have had a profound effect in keeping government small and unintrusive. Their inclusion demonstrates much wisdom on the part of Confederate statesmen in improving on the Founding Fathers. Unfortunately, the federal government was not willing to let them give their system a try…………
One might make the argument that if you take the long view, the Confederacy actually triumphed. We can start with the Republican Party, founded in 1854 to oppose the Dixie way of life, but now a reflection of Southern attitudes. In capturing the Republican Party, the political descendants of the Confederates are accomplishing through politics what their ideological ancestors failed to accomplish on the battlefield.
Fully agree BUT lets make sure the taxes I pay as a successful entrepreneur are equal to at least my employees and also that I can’t hide all my business profits like BIG business. Then it will be a patriotic act. Thanks Mark
U present the “government ” the ” poor ” as neutral. There is the gov sector the private sector. There are “poor ” who believe in socialism those who believe in capitalism.
If u cannot even defend the system which made u rich, then give away all your fortune to the gov keep “only ” 20m for u family ( more than most Americans will ever earn…)
We’re trying to solve two problems listed here at once: (i) being patriotic as described by building a great company, and (ii) giving taxpayers more control and transparency with respect how those patriotic dollars are used by government.
There is an important distinction to make. We want our entrepreneurs to make gobs of money. That will help the country and the economy. But, the people that are making gobs of money are not the entrepreneurs but the hedge fund managers, Wall Street bankers, and the CEO’s of only the biggest of the big companies. In the land of cheap money, it is easy for bankers and publicly traded company CEO’s to pocket more than their fair share, but it takes a toll on the welfare of the economy as a whole.
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