Thursday, October 15, 2009

FDR's Second Bill of Rights

The more I find out about FDR, the happier I am to see he didn't see his agenda pushed through. From his January 1944 speech to Congress comes ideas like these:

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.


The Declaration of Independence guarantees us opportunity, not outcome. I have to disagree with many of these "rights". The government needs to give us a level playing field but doesn't owe us anything. It is up to us to make our way, and prosper or fail according to our deeds.

Here is a link to the Second Bill of Rights from FDR.

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