The recent (and completely predictable) outburst of political demagoguery over the oil companies shows how wise the Founders were in trying to give us a strictly limited government. Nothing in Article 1, Section 8 says “Congress shall have power to investigate industries that may be making excessive profits and penalize any that are found to have made such profits.” Alas, the Constitution now does less to hold back omnipotent government than the levees in New Orleans do to hold back floods.