something we were never taught in skool,

[Guest guest]

FDR and the second or Economic Bill of Rights

 

obviously he was trying to give an alternative to communism

but..if this had been implemented..think of how different things would be

today...

 

Excerpt from President Roosevelt's January 11, 1944 message to the Congress of

the United States on the State of the Union

 

It is our duty now to begin to lay the plans and determine the strategy for the

winning of a lasting peace and the establishment of an American standard of

living higher than ever before known. We cannot be content, no matter how high

that general standard of living may be, if some fraction of our people—whether

it be one-third or one-fifth or one-tenth—is ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed,

and insecure.

 

This Republic had its beginning, and grew to its present strength, under the

protection of certain inalienable political rights—among them the right of

free speech, free press, free worship, trial by jury, freedom from unreasonable

searches and seizures. They were our rights to life and liberty.

 

As our nation has grown in size and stature, however—as our industrial economy

expanded—these political rights proved inadequate to assure us equality in the

pursuit of happiness.

 

We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom

cannot exist without economic security and independence. “Necessitous men are

not free men.†People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which

dictatorships are made.

 

In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have

accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of

security and prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station,

race, or creed.

 

Among these are:

 

The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms

or mines of the nation;

 

The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;

 

The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will

give him and his family a decent living;

 

The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of

freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;

 

The right of every family to a decent home;

 

The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good

health;

 

The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness,

accident, and unemployment;

 

The right to a good education.

 

All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be

prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of

human happiness and well-being.

 

America’s own rightful place in the world depends in large part upon how fully

these and similar rights have been carried into practice for our citizens.

 

 

" Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England,

nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the

leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter

to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship,

or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. ... Voice or no voice, the people

can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have

to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for

lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any

country. "

- General Herman Goering, President of German Reichstag & Nazi Party, Commander

of Luftwaffe

[Guest guest]

A lot of these things did happen in Europe, with all the social

democrats running around. Must've been something in the air...

 

At 2:01 PM -0700 9/19/07, fraggle wrote:

>FDR and the second or Economic Bill of Rights

>

>obviously he was trying to give an alternative to communism

>but..if this had been implemented..think of how different things

>would be today...

>

>Excerpt from President Roosevelt's January 11, 1944 message to the

>Congress of the United States on the State of the Union

>

>It is our duty now to begin to lay the plans and determine the

>strategy for the winning of a lasting peace and the establishment of

>an American standard of living higher than ever before known. We

>cannot be content, no matter how high that general standard of

>living may be, if some fraction of our people-whether it be

>one-third or one-fifth or one-tenth-is ill-fed, ill-clothed,

>ill-housed, and insecure.

>

>This Republic had its beginning, and grew to its present strength,

>under the protection of certain inalienable political rights-among

>them the right of free speech, free press, free worship, trial by

>jury, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. They were our

>rights to life and liberty.

>

>As our nation has grown in size and stature, however-as our

>industrial economy expanded-these political rights proved inadequate

>to assure us equality in the pursuit of happiness.

>

>We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual

>freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence.

> " Necessitous men are not free men. " People who are hungry and out of

>a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.

>

>In our day these economic truths have become accepted as

>self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights

>under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be

>established for all-regardless of station, race, or creed.

>

>Among these are:

>

>The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or

>shops or farms or mines of the nation;

>

>The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;

>

>The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return

>which will give him and his family a decent living;

>

>The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an

>atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by

>monopolies at home or abroad;

>

>The right of every family to a decent home;

>

>The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve

>and enjoy good health;

>

>The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age,

>sickness, accident, and unemployment;

>

>The right to a good education.

>

>All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we

>must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these

>rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being.

>

>America's own rightful place in the world depends in large part upon

>how fully these and similar rights have been carried into practice

>for our citizens.