Dr. Who's Reading Room

The Constitution came about precisely to enable a newly large government — a national one — to tax all Americans for the specific purpose of funding a large public debt. Neither Alexander Hamilton nor his mentor the financier Robert Morris made any bones about that purpose; James Madison was among their closest allies; and Edmund Randolph of Virginia opened the Constitutional Convention by charging the delegates to redress the country’s failure to fund — not pay off, fund — the public debt, by creating a national government.

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William Hogeland “The Founding Fathers would have hated the debt ceiling” - War Room - Salon.com 8/1/11

William Hogeland is the author of the narrative histories “Declaration” and “The Whiskey Rebellion” and a collection of essays, “Inventing American History.” He has spoken on unexpected connections between history and politics at the National Archives, the Kansas City Public Library, and various corporate and organization events. He blogs at http://www.williamhogeland.com.