------ Forwarded Message > From: "dasg...@aol.com" <dasg...@aol.com> > Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:34:42 EST > To: Robert Millegan <ramille...@aol.com> > Cc: <ema...@aol.com>, <j...@aol.com>, <jim6...@cwnet.com>, > <christian.r...@gmail.com> > Subject: FDR's Depression-Era "Bill of Rights" >
> Second Bill of Rights > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bill_of_Rights > The Second Bill of Rights was a proposal made by United States President > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States> Franklin D. > Roosevelt <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt> during his > State of the Union Address > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_the_Union_Address> on January 11, 1944 > to suggest that the nation had come to recognize, and should now implement, a > second bill of rights <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_rights> . > > Roosevelt did not argue for any change to the United States Constitution > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Constitution> ; he argued that the > second bill of rights was to be implemented politically, not by federal > judges. Roosevelt's stated justification was that the "political rights" > guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights> had "proved > inadequate to assure us equality in the pursuit of happiness > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pursuit_of_happiness> ." Roosevelt's remedy was > to create an "economic bill of rights" which would guarantee: > * A job <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment> with a living wage > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_wage> > * Freedom <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_(political)> from > <rigged-market> unfair competition <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competition> > and monopolies <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly> > * A place <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home> to live > * Medical care <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_care> > * Education <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education> > * Recreation <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recreation> > Roosevelt stated that having these rights would guarantee American security > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security> , and that America's place in the > world depended upon how far these and similar rights had been carried into > practice. > > ³The Economic Bill of Rights² > > Excerpt from President Roosevelt > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt> 's January 11, 1944 > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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 >> peoplewhether it be one-third or one-fifth or one-tenthis 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 rightsamong 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, howeveras our industrial >> economy expandedthese 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. ³Necessitous men >> are not free men.² 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 allregardless 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. >> >> >> America¹s 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. > Lost Footage > Roosevelt's January 11 address was delivered via radio, due to the President's > illness at the time. During the last portion dealing with the Second Bill of > Rights, he asked news cameras to come in and begin filming for later > broadcast. This footage was believed lost until it was uncovered in 2008 in > South Carolina by Michael Moore <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Moore> > while researching for the film Capitalism: A Love Story > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalism:_A_Love_Story> . > > The footage shows Roosevelt's Second Bill of Rights address in its entirety, > as well as a shot of the Five Rights printed on a sheet of paper. > ------ End of Forwarded Message
