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loose construction
He favored a broad interpretation of the Constitution.
loose construction
alexander mmg
A strict interpretation of the Constitution states that the government of the United States holds only those powers specifically granted to it by the Constitution. A loose interpretation of the Constitution posits that the government of the United States hold all powers that are not specifically denied to it by the Constitution.
A broad interpretation of the Constitution would be one that allows a considerable amount of flexibility. A narrow interpretation would tend to interpret the laws in the most literal sense. Anti-Federalists like Thomas Jefferson favored a strict interpretation, and were against loose interpretation because it meant stepping outside the boundaries, and assuming more power than had been granted. The Federalists, on the other hand, favored a more ambiguous interpretation that would allow to the government to assume additional power when needed.
A broad interpretation refers to a way of understanding something that is inclusive of various perspectives, factors, and possibilities. It involves considering a wide range of information and viewpoints to develop a comprehensive understanding or analysis of a particular subject or issue.
It's your interpretation of the constitution. The philosophy that allows narrow constitutional interpretation is called strict construction and the philosophy of broad constitutional interpretation is called loose construction. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison favored the strict constructions, and Alexander Hamilton favored the loose construction.
Federalism is a division of power between a strong central government and state governments.
John Marshall had a loose interpretation of the Constitution while Thomas Jefferson supposedly had a strict interpretation of it. John Marshall strongly believed in the elastic clause (the necessary and proper clause) which meant: "The Congress shall have Power - 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". So he thought that if a law was needed, then it could be added and adjusted into the Constitution and one didn't have to stick to the exact words of the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson supposedly had a strict construction of the Constitution, but his actions such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Embargo Act showed loose interpretations because neither one of those were written in the Constitution. He very rarely showed a strict interpretation where he stuck directly to the Constitution, so they really weren't that different in views even though in titles they were.
The Supreme Court used a broad interpretation of the Constitution when reaching its decision in Gibbons v. Ogden,(1824). A broad interpretation creates a precedent that is applicable to many cases, as opposed to a narrow interpretation, which may address only the instant case or a small range of cases.In Gibbons, Chief Justice Marshall held Congress had sole authority to regulate commerce between the states, and asserted the supremacy of federal law over state law when the two are in conflict (per the Article VI Supremacy Clause).Case Citation:Gibbons v. Ogden, 22 US 1 (1824)
changed public policy through broad interpretation of the constitution