General Welfare clause

The General Welfare clause is a clause found in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States of America. It is found int the following sentence:

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States

In modern treatment, the General Welfare clause is frequently used to argue that congress has a blanket power to provide for the general welfare. However, this defies both original intent and the basic rules of grammar. It also makes legal analysis hopelessly complicated and introduces many avenues for tyranny.