In the Federalist Papers written nearly 250 years ago, Madison writes on Federal government intervention....

Basically, Madison warns (FP #44) of the slippery slope of government intervention in contracts and private property rights where arguments of a simple 'needed' abrogation of some contracts naturally leads to arguments for further intervention...

Bills of attainder, ex-post-facto laws, and laws impairing the obligation of contracts, are contrary to the first principles of the social compact, and to every principle of sound legislation. The two former are expressly prohibited by the declarations prefixed to some of the State constitutions, and all of them are prohibited by the spirit and scope of these fundamental charters. Our own experience has taught us, nevertheless, that additional fences against these dangers ought not to be omitted. Very properly, therefore, have the convention added this constitutional bulwark in favor of personal security and private rights; and I am much deceived if they have not, in so doing, as faithfully consulted the genuine sentiments as the undoubted interests of their constituents. The sober people of America are weary of the fluctuating policy which has directed the public councils. They have seen with regret and indignation that sudden changes and legislative interferences, in cases affecting personal rights, become jobs in the hands of enterprising and influential speculators, and snares to the more-industrious and less informed part of the community. They have seen, too, that one legislative interference is but the first link of a long chain of repetitions, every subsequent interference being naturally produced by the effects of the preceding. They very rightly infer, therefore, that some thorough reform is wanting, which will banish speculations on public measures, inspire a general prudence and industry, and give a regular course to the business of society.

Madison argues that once the door of intervention in private contracts is cracked open, that eventually the gates will be flung wide open. This is evident to me as those that benefit from intervention will argue using the new precedents from the original interference to further degrade contracts and the rights to private property. Its a slippery slope to serfdom.

The interference of the Federal government for the 'better good' whether it is truly believed to be good intentioned or not, will inevitably lead to degradation of the original principles of liberty. 70 years ago, due to the catastrophe of the depression, Americans were convinced that intervention by the Federal Government was important and necessary to lead the nation out of the economic problems facing them at that time. However, this intervention was clearly in contravention to the original intent of American experiment in Liberty. But it was expedient. This is the time that door was flung wide open to allow Federal intervention at an increasing level. And the leviathan is using the broad definition of constitutional powers as offered in the Commerce Clause to eviscerate all other liberties....

The Commerce Clause represents one of the most fundamental powers delegated to the Congress by the founders. The outer limits of the Commerce Clause power has been the subject of long, intense political controversy. Interpretation of the sixteen words of the Commerce Clause has helped define the balance of power between the federal government and the states and the balance of power between the two elected branches of the Federal government and the Judiciary. As such, it has a direct impact on the lives of American citizens.

Use of the commerce clause in the Constitution, just 16 simple words that allowed Congress to regulate economic activity....

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;

has allowed Congress and the Federal Government to do almost anything including dunning wages and redistributing them to others through such idiotic Ponzi scheme programs as Social Security and Medicare, has allowed the Federal Government to poorly and ineffectively regulate financial institutions that has probably created more systemic risk and not less, has crammed unfunded Federal mandates on states that will eventually become unmanageable, has created thousand of other redistribution programs, has allocated resources to housing and away from other competing investments through creating agencies that guarantee these loans and have created tax breaks for these same investments... and the list just goes on and on ad nauseum.

Each of these formerly 'essential' interventions has in aggregate also created a massive debt and unfunded obligations that will prove impossible to meet and repay. As more and more resources are diverted from other uses, to those as determined by government bureaucrats, that the people that earned and saved should have the right to use as they see fit, the sclerotic Euro-like state that the US is becoming will have to continue to take these resources and in process reduce the liberty of its citizens in order to continue to redistribute the wealth. The reduction of liberty will come in the form of ever increasing taxes therefore decreasing the individual's personal benefits to the time that they expend in their occupations and work, through the taxing of wealth through inflation as these Federal debts will have less and less value relative to productive enterprises, the recent talk of implementing mandatory public service, through the intervention of public discourse and editorializing as found on TV, radio and other forms of media as government sees it fit to regulate free speech under the disguise of the newspeak named 'Fairness Doctrine' and a plethora of other interventions that will reduce the liberties of the people for the 'greater good.'

The nation is on a slippery slope of serfdom, where Washington will be the emperor and all others will be serfs to that leviathan. Watch out. At least my children will have a choice to not be subject to the dead weight of the coming miserable American life since they will have the choice of being citizens of other nations. The US will HAVE to constrict the liberties of its citizens due to its need to control so many aspects of American life. I am already trapped by the Leviathan but my children are not. They will be able to decide for themselves if it worthwhile to join a dying nation where they will become responsible for unbelievable financial obligations or they will be able to choose a life in a nation that has brighter prospects.