The executive arm of the government, when entrusted with excessive powers tends to abuse and misuse the power. More often than not, the after 9/11 bombing period witnessed excessive interrogation in the guise of curbing terrorism. American citizens suspected to be members of terror group were castrated in interrogation cells, dehumanized and their decency struck naked. While I loathsomely detest terrorism, human rights and a check of balance on the federal government articulate my anti-federalist stand.
The Federalist No. 84 pioneered by Hamilton humiliated the existence of bills of rights. Hamilton, in his post on the Bill stood as mere provisions between the “citizens and ruler”. However, the bills of rights dictate an individual’s rights pursuant to living a normal life. Therefore, they fail in dictating the terms the government or the individual should meet but instead the threshold liberties entitled to an individual in living a decent life. Additionally, provision of bills of right in the constitution is no spoil to the broth. However, it represents a mechanism to check power by offering exceptions.
Secondly, the citizenry execute their expressions and government regulation through elected representatives. By electing members of congress, the citizenry surrender its powers to the congress electives. Powers of the sword, the purse and direct taxation are surrendered to the government. Therefore, it manifests as absurd when the congress adorn with these powers without a check, control and limit such as the bills of rights.
The bills, bereaves the state government of powers and represents a shield to citizens against the state government, equally, it’s mandatory to have citizens’ shield against the Congress. Congress is loaded with exclusive and full possession of power striping naked the citizen. As thus, citizens are left defenseless and feeble. This presents an actual and real defect in which the anti-federalism crops.
Works Cited
Hamilton, Alexander, James Madison, and John Jay. "Bill of Rights: Alexander Hamilton, Federalist, no. 84, 575--81." Electronic resources from the University of Chicago Press Books Division. N.p., 28 May 1788. Web. 23 June 2013. <http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/bill_of_rightss7.html>.
