We have a "right" to own guns, but not a right to health care, food, shelter, clothing, employment

[Flatulo]

137. The OP specifically speaks to the apparent inhumanity of food and shelter not being

guaranteed by the government.

Post #3 (JohnnyBoots) states in response that in the early days of the republic, people were more self-reliant and less dependent on government largesse than they are today, for which post he was soundly flamed.

I responded in post 99 that post #3 was more or less accurate.

Your response, which I appreciate for its detail and accuracy, shows that the founders, and in particular Jefferson, supports wide public education of the population and redistribution and equal sharing of natural resources, a position with which I do not quibble.

Which still leaves me with the dilemna posed in the OP - where in the Constitution or in the musings of the founders does the notion of public good or general welfare extend to providing food, housing and health care to the populace?

And if such largesse were guaranteed by the Constitution, a) who would pay for such universal cradle-to-grave care and b) what would differentiate us from house cats? Our ability to compose poetry?

No, I believe the Founders wanted to guarantee that everyone (except slaves) would have the opportunity to succeed in the new Republic, and that such success would bring with it the wealth needed to provide for life's necessities. I don't believe they even addressed the needs of the physically and mentally impaired, the sentiment at the time being that the common decency and charitable instincts of the community would fill that need. (Of course this would not work today, given the sheer size of our population and the near complete loss of sense of community).

As an aside, I do support a universal, single-payer health plan, but solely - and I emphasize solely - because it would be much cheaper and more efficient than the mess we have today. I have yet to be convinced that even the most liberal interpretation of our Constitution guarantees such a thing. And as for food and shelter and clothing and such, well, I think nothing could have been further from the framers' minds.