Why did Federalists believe that a federal bill of rights was unnecessary?
After the ratification of the Constituion anyways, lol. Thanks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalist_No._84
The Federalists, who supported the ratification of the Constitution, had a number of reasons for believing that a federal bill of rights was unnecessary. Here are a few explanations:
1. Strong Central Government: The Federalists believed in a strong central government with limited powers granted to the states. They argued that the Constitution itself already included provisions protecting individual rights, and that a bill of rights would only serve to limit the authority of the federal government.
2. Limited Scope: The Federalists argued that the purpose of the Constitution was to outline the structure and powers of the federal government, not to enumerate every individual right. They believed that the federal government should only have those powers explicitly granted to it, while all other powers were reserved to the states or individuals.
3. State Constitutions: Many Federalists pointed out that the individual states already had their own bills of rights. These state constitutions, they argued, provided sufficient protection for individual rights and freedoms. They believed that adding a federal bill of rights would be redundant.
4. Potential Negative Effect: Some Federalists were concerned that by explicitly listing certain rights, it may imply that those were the only rights protected, which could lead to the infringement of unlisted rights. They argued that leaving the rights unspecified would ensure that all retained rights were protected.
5. Focus on Structure and Process: The Federalists' main focus was on establishing a functional system of government and addressing issues of structure and process. They believed that including a bill of rights would distract from these important matters and potentially hinder the ratification process of the Constitution.
It's important to note that despite the Federalists' initial opposition, they eventually supported the inclusion of a bill of rights to ensure the ratification of the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists, who favored strong state governments and demanded individual rights be explicitly protected, were able to garner enough support for the inclusion of the Bill of Rights as the first ten amendments to the Constitution.