Source:The New Democrat
President Franklin Roosevelt had an Economic Bill of Rights that he released to the public after the New Deal. He tried to pass it in I believe 1944 and it had similar goals to what Thom Hartmann was talking about in Dr. King’s Social and Economic Bill of Rights. Right to a job, right to a good income, right to not want. I guess meaning not to be selfish. Right to health care and probably health insurance as well. And a right to education. President Roosevelt didn’t get his bill passed, but this was to be the next phase of his administration. But he died before he could get it passed through Congress.
And Thom Hartmann in what he was saying about Dr. King was basically the same goals. Past racial equality under law the next goal of the United Sates was to achieved economic equality as well. That regardless of race that all Americans should be have a good life in America and not to have to live in poverty at all. That these things are so important and critical to American democracy that the Federal Government should guarantee these things when American capitalism fails to achieve them.
This wouldn’t be my approach as a Liberal. I’m all for equal treatment under law regardless of race. And other classes as well and I’m also for the right to a good education. That we all deserve as Americans the right to be able to go to good schools and have good teachers. And those are really government’s main two roles when it comes to the economy. To see that everyone has a good opportunity to be able to do as well as they can and what they do with those opportunities is up to them. And have to live with the consequences of their decisions for good and bad.
