A prominent example of a loose interpretation of the Constitution is found in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819). In this landmark decision, the Supreme Court upheld the establishment of a national bank and ruled that the federal government had implied powers beyond those explicitly enumerated in the Constitution.
Chief Justice John Marshall argued that the Necessary and Proper Clause (also known as the Elastic Clause) gave Congress the authority to create laws that were not specifically listed in the Constitution if they were deemed necessary to carry out its enumerated powers. This interpretation allowed the federal government to expand its powers and take actions that the founders might not have foreseen, emphasizing a flexible and adaptive understanding of the Constitution.
This loose interpretation has influenced many subsequent legal and political debates regarding the extent of federal powers and the scope of individual rights.