I believe the Founding Fathers were setting up a democracy, or republic, based upon political principles.

I do not believe they were creating an oligarchy, wherein the government was used to enforce an economic slavery upon most of the population while protecting the wealthy. The strength of the nation was the ability of the citizen to aspire to a comfortable existence.

Frankly, the recent collapses of the capitalist system followed by a socialist bailout has vividly demonstrated the limitations of capitalism. Not the worthlessness of capitalism, but the limitations. They are obvious.

The transfer of even more wealth away from the middle class to the wealthy coupled with the creation of an enormous underclass which is getting larger and larger is turning the US into a banana republic.

If a way to offer opportunity to all citizens isn't found, if the wealthy continue to use their money to create hedge funds, there will be a revolution.

That the government is concerned with that situation is demonstrated by the recent authorization of the military to operate in the US. We haven't been invaded from the outside, we're rotting from the inside. And will continue to rot if the wealthiest country in the world continues to squander its resources on anything other than "entitlements". War takes away from health care, school lunches and so on.

The general welfare. Not the specific welfare, as you would interpret it.

Arf