Back in 1944, as the depression was moving steadily along, FDR made a speech advocating a “Second Bill of Rights”. His “experimental” economic policies having been a notable failure up to that point, he was still convinced that the government could make any problem go away by royal decree or something.
In today's bad-news economy, many believe the 32nd president's ideas should be invoked again.
Many believe in the tooth fairy and Santa Claus, too, byt hey, if at first you don't succeed...
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, (D., Ohio), said the rules of economic fairness in the country need to be restored.
What rules would these be, and where are they printed?
'The social contract in this country has always been if you worked hard, took care of your family, went to work, and played by the rules, you would be rewarded,' Mr. Brown said. 'We have moved away from that, and the social contract is not what it used to be in this country.'
The government will now reward you for doing none of that.
President Roosevelt's proposed second Bill of Rights included:
• 'The right to a useful, remunerative job in industries, shops, farms, or mines.'
The government will force business owners to hire people they don’t need?
• 'The right to earn enough to provide adequate food, clothing, and recreation.'
The government will force these business owners to pay them a government-mandated wage? Absolutely. FDR implemented this. Economists at UCLA estimate it added 7 years to the depression.
• 'The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return that will provide a decent living.'
The government will mandate high food prices, and to back this up, they will also mandate high tariffs against cheaper imported foodstuffs.
• 'The right of every businessman to trade with freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies.'
Ah, to be free from competition. If the public won’t buy my over-priced widgets, the government will pay me the difference so I can price things competitively.
• 'The right of every family to a decent home.'
Didn’t we just try that on a rather large scale? How’s that working out?
• 'The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health.'
Any “right” to a product or service implies an obligation on someone’s part to provide it. This means a form of involuntary servitude by new Med school grads, in which the government requires them to provide services at rates set by the government. They do this in England, where the National Health hospitals are the worlds most prolific providers of antibiotic-resistant infections.
• 'The right to protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment.'
How many of you actually expect to see more than a very small fraction of the money you’ve put into Social Security, if any? How would you like health insurance, and tenure to go with that? Live like a college professor at a State college.
• 'The right to a good education.'
If you can’t learn anything else from the events of the last 100 years, learn this: Socialism, in all its myriad forms, including Communism, Nazism, Fascism, New Dealism, Third Wayism, or whatever ism they’re calling it by this week, DOES NOT WORK. The difference between one and another is best measured in the number of their own citizens they kill, intentionally or not, in order to preserve the government.
Contact Ignazio Messina, author of the Blade article at: imessina@theblade.com or 419-724-6171.
God, I hate politics.
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