Original Author: Alexander Hamilton; Published: December 18, 1787
What should a national government be allowed to do in order to protect the country?
A national government must have enough power to: Protect the country from attacks, keep peace between states, handle national emergencies, and Make sure laws are followed. Without these powers, it cannot do its job.
The country must always be ready to protect itself, so the government needs the power to build and support an army, that can defend us against foreign enemies or respond quickly in emergencies. If defense is weak, everything else is at risk.
Some people think the national government should have limited power. I disagree. Small powers are not enough to keep the country safe. Emergencies cannot wait for permission from a weak government and states acting alone cannot protect the whole country. Limited power is not safe.
If each state tries to protect itself: Some states may be weaker than others, there would be no coordinated defense plan, enemies could attack the weakest places first and the country would not react as one team. This would make everyone less safe.
The national government must have enough power to: Protect all states equally, respond quickly to threats, make decisions for the whole country, and keep peace and order. Strength is necessary for survival.
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