Our U.S. Constitution, as stated in Section 8 of Article 1, limits the federal government’s powers to the following:

1. To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises

2. To borrow Money on the credit of the United States

3. To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States

4. To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures

5. To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States

6. To establish Post Offices and post Roads

7. To issue Copyrights and Patents

8. To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court

9. To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations

10. To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water

11. To raise and support Armies

12. To provide and maintain a Navy

13. To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces

14. To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions

15. To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia

16. To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States

17. To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

No mention was made of any of the following in the U.S. Constitution: social welfare programs, education, energy, agriculture, public housing, urban renewal and health care.