16th July 2003, 10:44 AM
Quote:What particular part of the constitution prevenst the US from getting more land exactly?
That, actually, was my point.
If we said "the only legal things are the things expressly allowed in the Constitution", not much would be legal... in this example, the Constitution doesn't address the issue either way. So if you are strict and say "only the text is legal, nothing else is", you can't allow that because the constitution doesn't say "The Government can buy land from foreign governments".
Obviously very fast the framers decided that they would not interpret the constituion that way.
Quote:Oh and, we value physical integrity? Um, you mean as a basic principle? I'm not sure anyone does. Americans LOVE explosives for instance, and I don't think anyone thinks it's wrong to destroy stuff unless it's someone else's property.
Sort of... but you couldn't blow up your own house because that's arson, I expect. :) And you'd never get insurance money either...
Oh, and the point is that not everyone values it but its clearly something that we should protect. Just like the "right" to murder people...