The Declaration of Independence declares: 

“all men … are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights …That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men …” 

The Preamble of the US Constitution shows how these rights are to be secured including: 

“provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare.” 

Two clear distinctions should be made here:

• PROVIDE implies actively and financially supporting.
• PROMOTE implies a more passive approach. For example, “I’ll promote that we put on a grand feast, but I want you to provide it! “ 
• GENERAL Welfare is not the same as INDIVIDUAL Welfare. General Welfare would benefit the people as a body generally.
• INDIVIDUAL Welfare targets a certain segment of society to benefit, such as the poor. 

Social Security is a form of individual welfare not authorized in the Constitution and should be repealed. We advocate PHASING OUT the entire Social Security program, while continuing to meet the obligations already incurred under the system, limited to the total contribution of each individual. 

Until the current Social Security system can be responsibly phased out, we propose that: 

• The Social Security tax must not be a “rainy day” fund that politicians can pirate or from which they can borrow to cover their errors and pay for their excesses. 
• Individuals who have contributed to Social Security will be allowed to withdraw those funds and transfer them into an IRA or similar investments under the control of the individual contributor. 
• Any merger between the U.S. Social Security System and that of any foreign country is banned, so the distribution of benefits will not go to persons who have not qualified for payments under American law as legal residents. 
• Earning limitations on persons aged 62 and over be removed, so that they may earn any amount of additional income without placing their benefits at risk. 

We support the right of individuals to choose between private retirement and pension programs, either at their place of employment or independently. 

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The 4th Amendment states: 

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” 

The Fifth Amendment further protects property, by stating:  

“No person shall be … deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” 

We affirm the Fourth Amendment right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, including arbitrary or de facto registration, general and unwarranted electronic surveillance, national computer databases, and national identification cards.  

We reaffirm that civil governments must be strictly limited in their powers to intrude upon the persons and private property of individual citizens, in particular, that no place be searched and nothing be seized, except upon proof of probable cause that a crime has been committed and the proper judicial warrant issued.  

We reaffirm the common-law rule that protects the people from any search or seizure whatsoever when that search or seizure violates the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.  

We deplore and vigorously oppose legislation and executive action that deprive the people of their Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights under claims of necessity to “combat terrorism” or to “protect national security.” 

We oppose legislation and administrative action utilizing asset forfeiture laws which enable the confiscation of the private property of persons not involved in the crime. 

Forfeiture of assets can only be enforced after conviction of the property owner as a penalty for the crime. Such forfeitures must follow full due process of law under criminal prosecution standards. 

We oppose the monitoring and controlling of the financial transactions of the people through such proposed laws as “Know Your Customer.” 

Banks should be repositories of treasure and fiduciaries for the people, not enforcers for the State. Any information regarding customer transactions the State obtains from banks must be subject to the traditional Fourth Amendment safeguards.

We support privacy legislation that prohibits private parties from discriminating against individuals who refuse to disclose or obtain a Social Security number.  

We call for legislation prohibiting all governmental entities from requiring the use of the Social Security number except for Social Security transactions.  

We call for the repeal of all laws, regulations and statutes that require the use of the Social Security number for any purpose other than Social Security transactions.  

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The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides that,

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated…but upon probable cause…”.

The federal government’s collection, compiling, and abuse of databases to snoop on law-abiding citizens has rapidly expanding over the past two decades and continues to do so. This includes monitoring law-abiding citizens’ bank deposits, cell phone usage, e-mail, air travel, school children, lawful gun purchases, health care, medical records, immunizations, fingerprints, DNA, and genetic tests. Most often, these databases are built using the Social Security number.

There have been renewed attempts by the federal government, especially since 9/11, to impose a federal ID on all citizens by requiring States to have social security numbers on drivers’ licenses. The federal government often accomplishes the establishment of a database through mandates and grants to the State.

Corporations are also involved in the collection and selling of personal data without consent. The Social Security Act stipulates that the social security number is never to be used for identification purposes.

The Constitution Party supports the protection of a citizen’s privacy rights and opposes the use of the social security number for identification purposes and any attempt to create and impose a national ID.

Resolution passed by the Constitution Party National Committee, March 9, 2002, in Charleston, South Carolina

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