Framers Quotes
What the framers meant, and who's still arguing about it.
This page collects quotes about what the framers intended when drafting the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, including arguments about religious neutrality in the First Amendment and limits on the Commerce Clause.
Our Declaration of Independence was held sacred by all and thought to include all; but now, to aid in making the bondage of the Negro universal and eternal, it is assailed, sneered at, construed, hawked at, and torn, till, if...
The Framers of the Bill of Rights did not purport to 'create' rights. Rather, they designed the Bill of Rights to prohibit our Government from infringing rights and liberties presumed to be preexisting.
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The framers never intended an infinitely broad Commerce Clause that would let Congress dictate individuals' purchases.
This OCCUPIED amendment, this constitutional amendment, would overturn Citizens United. It would make clear that corporations aren't people, that they - the framers of the Constitution never intended to give constitutional rights to corporations, the ones that we enjoy and...
Believe Quotes
It was the separation of powers upon which the framers placed their hopes for the preservation of the people's liberties. Despite this heritage, the congress has been in too many cases more than willing to walk away from its constitutional...
The framers understood that the momentous decision to go to war requires the informed consent of the American people, expressed through their elected representatives.
Our Constitution framers were men and women with great foresight. They understood the majesty of the rule of law, and of rule by laws.
I believe that the Framers of the Constitution made their intent clear when they wrote the First Amendment. I believe they wanted to keep the new government from endorsing one religion over another, not erase the public consciousness or common...
The Framers of the Constitution wisely understood that constitutional principles must not be sacrificed on the altar of political appeasement.
Clause Quotes
The Internet's distinct configuration may have facilitated anonymous threats, copyright infringement, and cyberattacks, but it has also kindled the flame of freedom in ways that the framers of the American constitution would appreciate - the Federalist papers were famously authored...
There was a fear among the original framers that the federal government would be so strong that they might destroy the state militias.
The framers of our constitution had the sagacity to vest in Congress all implied powers: that is, powers necessary and proper to carry into effect all the delegated powers wherever vested.
I suspect that the framers of the Bill of Rights have long since rolled over in their graves.
The Framers of the Constitution knew that free speech is the friend of change and revolution. But they also knew that it is always the deadliest enemy of tyranny.
Congress Quotes
America was founded to be a beacon of liberty, particularly religious liberty. The framers of our Constitution sought to preserve religious liberty to such an extent that they made it the first right protected in the Bill of Rights.
Neither James Madison, for whom this lecture is named, nor any of the other Framers of the Constitution, were oblivious, careless, or otherwise unaware of the words they chose for the document and its Bill of Rights.
Conservatives who believe that the Constitution should be interpreted according to the plain meaning of its language and the original intent of the Framers have long been troubled by the court's decisions expanding the commerce clause to authorize Congress to...
The framers hated the tyranny of King George, but they were also afraid of the mob. That's why they put so many checks and balances into our system, to guard against the excesses of a government that might be inflamed...
The framers of our Constitution meant we were to have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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These are documented positions in an ongoing legal and political debate, not a single settled answer. See Congress quotes for related reflections on how those founding intentions play out in practice.
