what are enumerated powers?

Answer 1

Powers that are specifically listed and given to a governing body. Check the ninth amendment to the constitution, it speaks on this.


Does anyone know anything anymore, or does wikipedia just get cut and pasted everytime a question gets asked? Christ people, read a book.

Answer 2

Enumerated powers is a term referring to Article 1 Section 8 of the United States Constitution which lists the specific powers of legislation granted to the United States Congress. The concept of enumerated powers implies that the legislature may exercise only those powers that are stated in the Constitution, limited, of course, by the Bill of Rights and the other protections found in the Constitutional text. The classical statement of a government of enumerated powers is that by Chief Justice Marshall in McCulloch v. Maryland:

This government is acknowledged by all, to be one of enumerated powers. The principle, that it can exercise only the powers granted to it, would seem too apparent, to have required to be enforced by all those arguments, which its enlightened friends, while it was depending before the people, found it necessary to urge; that principle is now universally admitted.

Answer 3

I presume you're referring to the constitution and the difference between implied and enumerated powers. Enumerated powers are those written into the document, where implied powers are those presumed to be derived from some interpretation of what the document says.