This Is What We Need To Be Fighting For!

The Second Bill of Rights. By now we should be on the third or fourth. But we should at least be fighting for these Rights.
If the Democrats want to win in 2006 and especially 2008 they need to get back to the basics of the Democratic Party. The core issues on which we stand. Human Rights and doing the right thing for all Americans.
The best way to do this, history has already shown us. Which President of the Untied States was elected four times? And why? He was far from perfect. He made many mistakes. But he believed in the Rights of all Americans and he was willing to fight the battles to bring this about.
January 11, 1944, Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his State of the Union address to the nation, he laid out his “Second Bill of Rights”.
Now here was a President who could think, talk and plan! Here was a President who knew that as long as there was even a few Americans who did not have the American dream, we have all failed. What were these Rights? What happened to them?

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 people.whether it be one-third or one-fifth or one-tenth.is 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 rights.among 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, however.as our industrial economy expanded.these 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. ‘Necessitous men are not free men.’ People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.,br>
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 all.regardless 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.
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.

Mr. Roosevelt convinced the U. S. Supreme Court that these were needed. With Chief Justice Earl Warren at the helm, they struck down the previous years of favoring Corporations. They brought down the number of hours Americans could be forced to work each day/week, they changed the minimum wage laws, they made it possible that the unemployment insurance laws were passed, the right to form Unions.
What happened to these Rights? Mr. Nixon got into the Office of the President. He installed judges on the Supreme Court and they slowly ate away at these Rights. Mr. Reagan, Mr. Bush I and Mr. Bush II have almost finished the job.
Now is the time, way past time, for all of us to start talking about the moral issues. Not about abortion or gay marriage, but the true moral issues. Is every child in America well fed, well housed, well educated, getting health care, well clothed? Does every American have a job which pays them enough money to provide all of the needs of a family? Do all Americans have health care which they can afford? Are our elderly well taken care of?
Do you think those are not the moral issues? Read the Bible and see what Jesus demanded of his followers. See what the Jewish laws were about these issues. You who call this a Christian nation better start following Christ’s teachings or you better hope that the “End Times” are not here. You better be praying that Mr. Bush does not bring forth the “End Times” that he says he is destined to do. You have much to make up for, before you meet your maker. He will say to you, ‘I do not know you. You did not feed me, clothe me or give me shelter. For as you do it to the least of these, you do it unto me’
These Second Bill of Rights is what I want to hear our leaders talking about. This is what I want them fighting for! This is the least we can expect from our public servants. If you are not for these rights and willing to state them as your creed and are not willing to fight to bring them about, don’t run. Don’t ask for my money, my support or my working for you. I will not do any of these for you.
But, if you are willing to bring these Rights to our people, I will give you everything that I can, I will work tirelessly to get you elected.