One's method of interpreting the U.S. Constitution is called constitutional construction. Some interpreters of the Constitution favor a strict or narrow construction of the document. Strict constructionists interpret the Constitution according to their views of the framers' original intentions about the various parts of the document. Strict constructionists also tend to emphasize the literal meaning of the words of the Constitution.
Loose constructionists favor a broad interpretation of the ideas and words of the Constitution. They attempt to apply the purposes and the principles of the Constitution to meet changing circumstances and conditions. Loose constructionists point to the general welfare clause and the necessary and proper clause of Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution, which grant Congress power “To… provide for the… general welfare of the United States” and “To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States or in any Department or Officer thereof.”
Loose constructionists claim that the general welfare clause and the necessary and proper clause are the bases for broad or flexible interpretation of the Constitution to adjust its ideas to changing times. Loose constructionists also emphasize that they abide by the principles of the Constitution and respect precedents and historical developments.
A significant Supreme Court decision on the issue of strict versus broad construction was made in the landmark case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819). The Court, under the leadership of Chief Justice John Marshall, argued strongly for loose construction and implied powers (powers not explicitly stated but considered logical extensions of Constitutiona language). Since then, the loose constructionist position has prevailed most of the time. Occasionally, however, strict constructionists have exerted influence on the Court's decisions.
See also Marshall, John; McCulloch v. Maryland
