Second Bill of Rights

[LiberalArkie]

The Second Bill of Rights is a list of rights that was proposed by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt during his State of the Union Address on January 11, 1944.[1] In his address Roosevelt suggested that the nation had come to recognize, and should now implement, a second "bill of rights". Roosevelt's argument was that the "political rights" guaranteed by the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights had "proved inadequate to assure us equality in the pursuit of happiness." Roosevelt's remedy was to declare an "economic bill of rights" which would guarantee eight specific rights:

Employment (right to work), with a living wage
Food, clothing and leisure
Farmers' rights to a fair income
Freedom from unfair competition and monopolies
Housing
Medical care
Social security
Education
Roosevelt stated that having these rights would guarantee American security, and that America's place in the world depended upon how far these and similar rights had been carried into practice.


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[yeoman6987]

1. I wish he would have pushed for this to pass

He has the congress and senate for most of his tenure if not all. Can you imagine how different life would be today with these? I doubt we'll have this opportunity again for a while. I hate lost opportunities. The president did discuss these and some were implemented but very minimal.


If I had my way
Americans guaranteed 30,000 dollars a year from the government. Increased 10 percent annually
Free medical with zero requirements
Free education through PHD - requirement only accepted into university
Social security - same as now but minimum 5 percent raise annually and no max.
Housing - no discrimination whatsoever

As far as food, clothing and housing, the 30K includes those.

Taxes
Up to 30K - no taxes
31-50K 5 percent
51-125K - 15 percent
126-250 - 30 percent
251-500K - 50 percent
501K up - 80 percent

Deductions
Housing only for those under $125 and below

We can discuss whether to treat couples earrings for housing dediction only

The income tax will be single for each individual. Marriage does not count with taxes. Everyone fills out own tax return yearly. No deductions for children.


Social security is 10 percent across the board. No cap. Employer pays 10 percent as well.

Thoughts?

[hifiguy]

2. One of the greatest American speeches

of the 20th century, by this country's greatest modern president. Seventy years later and we're still waiting.

[tech3149]

3. If the Democratic party hadn't sidelined Hentry Wallace

perhaps we would live in a different world. I have no doubt Wallace would have taken up the challenge.
We probably would have continued the policies of FDR, not dropped the bomb, not considered the Soviet Union as an adversary,
No Cold War, no Vietnam, no American Exceptionalism, no MIC.