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Constitution In 1787: The Scope Of The Commerce Power

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Once the founders drafted a new constitution in Philadelphia in 1787, the founders set out to address the problems in the 1780s, so they created a national government which was to have authority to impose taxes, and create a common commercial policy. The scope of the commerce power depends on the interpretation of “commerce”. If construed sufficiently broadly, the commerce power can give Congress the power to legislate in many areas that otherwise would fall within the scope of the states’ police power. The Constitution does not define the term and the Supreme Court therefore has great flexibility in deciding cases involving the Commerce Clause and enormous power to influence the balance of state versus federal power.

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