# The United States Air Force is unconstitutional

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-air-force-is-unconstitutional/947441>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [July 27, 2021, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-air-force-is-unconstitutional/947441 "2021-07-27T18:31:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 106

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**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-air-force-is-unconstitutional/947441/106 "2021-07-29T19:16:15Z")

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> [@ASL\_v2.0](#):
>
> Then you have misread the Constitution (or rather read it in a way that runs counter to how it has long been interpreted).

I’m well aware. I do not interpret the taxing clause to imply such a spending power. In a previous thread, I was explicit that I do not think such programs now justified by the spending power are constitutional (I mentioned [New Deal and Great Society](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-thing-conservatives-have-to-fear/939345/101)).

Probably for that reason, I did not even consider whether the spending power could justify the USAF independently. Now that you have mentioned it, if I thought the spending power was the right interpretation of the taxing clause (which I don’t), I would agree that the USAF is constitutional.

~Max

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