The Way Forward

justaprogressive

(2,702 posts) Tue Jan 21, 2025, 05:45 PM Jan 21

From FDR's speech Jan 11th 1944

Among these are:

The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the Nation;63

The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;64

The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;65

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;66

The right of every family to a decent home;67

The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;68

The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;69

The right to a good education.70

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.71

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. For unless there is security here at home there cannot be lasting peace in the world.

https://billofrightsinstitute.org/activities/second-bill-of-rights-annotated

...and what's wrong with that? Or its source?

5 replies

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Highlight:

From FDR's speech Jan 11th 1944 (Original Post) justaprogressive Jan 21 OP

K & R Clouds Passing Jan 21 #1

It is as true that as when FDR spoke it Bluetus Jan 21 #2

Certain people didn't like that vision of America, Crunchy Frog Jan 21 #3

Only the battle justaprogressive Jan 22 #4

This is exactly what todays Democrats should be saying/doing... Ars Longa Friday #5

Clouds Passing

(3,460 posts)

1. K & R

Reply to justaprogressive (Original post)

Tue Jan 21, 2025, 05:48 PM

Jan 21

Bluetus

(515 posts)

2. It is as true that as when FDR spoke it

Reply to justaprogressive (Original post)

Tue Jan 21, 2025, 06:19 PM

Jan 21

We should add that all of these rights should be the baseline for EVERYONE, regardless of race, gender, orientation, and all the other lines of division the fascists love to exploit.

We could adjust it a little, but FDR's list is what Democrats should be fighting for. Honestly, I can't tell WHAT many Democrats are for. These days, they only seem to say what they are against. That's a loser, message-wise.

Yes, we have to fight the things Trump wants to do, but the reason we are in this position is because we are afraid to say the simple truths that FDR laid out. People like Bernie, AOC, Elizabeth and a few others are not afraid, but they are attached mercilessly by the Republicans and the mainstream media they control, and kneecapped by he Democrats like Pelosi who are almost eld enough to have heard FDR's speech live, yet rarely articulate any of these basic principles.

And beyond these values and principles, we need to offer the public bold proposals to make these principles a reality. THere is a difference between the principle and an actual proposed agenda. The agenda needs to be specific and full of action. Forr example

"We will return the top tax bracket to where it was after WWII when we built the strongest middle class the world has ever seen. We will require the billionaires to pay their fair share. We will put half of that money into the Social Security and Medicare funds, making them solvent into the 22nd century. We will put the other half directly into reducing our national debt, which is effectively a tax on our children and grandchildren."

That is just one example to show action words (in bold face.) We could debate the exact proposals, but we will never win a governing majority until we have a leader who is willing to campaign fearlessly with populist ideas like these.