Forum Post: I hope this post gets to the right people (and by that I mean ALL)
Posted 12 years ago on Jan. 7, 2012, 2:54 p.m. EST by idaniaperalta
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This content is user submitted and not an official statement
There has been much misinformation and confusion about what OWS is really all about. It's basic and without question that any and all movements that have succeeded, met their goals because they were clear and specific in their grievances and in HOW TO ADDRESS THEM. I understand that the main goal of the Occupy Wall St movement around the country and the world is the elimination of corrupt and greedy practices of corporations and banks so that we can live in a better society and achieve TRUE freedom and pursuit of happiness. HOWEVER, I, like many people in this country who want to support OWS, don't know what steps/actions the movement will demand to help bring this end goal to reality. I hope that this idea will help others, and give the movement more specific and attainable goals to reach in the larger fight towards a purer democracy:
My idea is this: adopt FDR's Economic Bill of Rights, and demand that these basic, unalienable rights are achieved. FDR is considered by me, and many other Americans, to be one of the most pragmatic, influential and ingenious American presidents of our history. And it is simply because he understands that political freedom does not always guarantee ECONOMIC freedom. We are at that predicament today. We have the most opportune moment to see these rights etched into our most sacred document, the Constitution, and see it echo for generations to come. So, not to sound too long-winded, for those unfamiliar with FDR's 2nd Bill of Rights, here they 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 sell a product and] 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. (Social Security)
- The right to a good education.
These rights, I'm sure, is what each and every supporter and member of OWS wants to see implemented. And why not? Why NOT? These rights are already an integral part of Germany, Italy and Japan's own Constitution. They understand, like FDR did, that government is not just there to defend their citizens from foreign and domestic enemies, but to give them basic human rights and necessities like a job, a living wage, healthcare, a nest egg, and a good education. Only then, can we proclaim that the US is the best nation in the world.
Let's demand these rights, OWS, and make them clearly visible as your message so that we can support you and join you with our fists held high. We Americans need these rights. Now. And Occupy Wall Street can ACTUALLY make these rights a demand and SUCCEED!
I'm with you completly on this. FDR was, in my estimation, the greatest president we have had, even greater then Lincln and Thomas Jefferson. His legacy has been all but expunged by a consensus driven by the corporate oligarchy. This is a great framework with the potential for broad appeal. Ultimately it should be an international framework for justice and human dignity. We CAN pull together an solve poverty, environmental degredation, and the lack of international human rights. All we lack is the clairiy of vision and the will to make it happen.
hey! I just posted a same idea without realizing that someone already have done so (i read your post after I posted mine) You are absolutely correct! me must present a solution instead of just protesting the injustice! And FDR's 2nd bill of rights is the answer....I don't know what I can do but I will do everything in my power to spread this solution to the 99%. let us do it!
You mean college right?
The right to a good education.
Box thinking. You don't demand a right to an education. You don't even attempt to change the educational system. No, you supplant the status quo. MIT and Yale, just for example, have numerous opensource educational programs. 85% of programmers, including myself, are self-taught. Go to YouTube, search Flash or PHP and you will see several kids, as in less than 17, teaching these subjects with free source code. Go to DevelopPHP.com and you will get a free education the envy of any college. So, what I am saying? OWS should start their own online school; after all, they do have the talent, right? Oh, by the way, I am a big OWS supporter.
I already posted this, now I feel insignificant.
I uhm, hate to plug. But, this is worth reading. It might actually solve most of the problems (to a satisfactory degree) that you mention.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Credit
Nothing to argue with.
Here's a resource.
http://www.newdeal20.org/
No one can claim a right to a job, forget a good paying one. That would be like saying that all students in a class have a right to pass in all subjects. Not happening. It's absurd
Define 'enough' and 'adequate'.
Again, define 'decent living'. Also say the government were to impose a minimum price for each and every agri product so as to provide a 'decent living' to farmers and also ban cheap agri imports to skew the playing field in favor of domestic farmers, it would mean that the buyers, you and me, would pay higher for food just to support a few farmers. Besides, as long as we protect the farmers they will not have any incentive to modernize their production techniques or cut costs.
Already happening. Give me a list of 5 industries where unfair monopolies exist
Define 'decent home'. Besides it cannot be a right. Home owning cannot be a right. Period.
This is agree. But again there should be limits to what is 'adequate'. If it all becomes free, people would start going to the doctors more often and more trivial ailments. Also if doctors are not paid competitively, the profession will stop attracting smart kids. More importantly, nothing is free. It has to come from taxes.
Again I agree. But the money for this too has to come from taxes. Higher taxes
Define 'good education'. Not everyone can get into say Harvard or even the top 30 universities. Similarly, there aren't enough private schools to enroll every kid. And private schools exist to make profit, if you make them enroll everyone at low cost they would simply shut shop then make a loss.
Overall, complete equality is not possible. Ever.
You are too pessimistic. stop focusing on the impossible and focus on the possible...at least this idea; if implemented to a certain degree, it will reduce or eliminate homeless people, (at least the working homeless), hungry, people dying or suffering from inadequate medical care, etc....we must have a starting point and the struggle to implement the 2nd BR is worth it!
The existing system is corrupt- payed off- nothing can be changed working within that system. First remove corruption then, those things are great. don't put the cart before the horse.
by the way, Socialism SUCKS!!!
socialism sucks? you are just brain washed by the 1%. That is there favorite line used to keep the status quo. just look at the word 'socialism'; I think its very good to be social! let those who want to pursue service to people continue to do so without spending all their lives just to provide roof, food, and clothing....let those who want more than the basics continue to strive for 10 bedroom mansions and rolls royces...but let the people at least have the basics
The1capitalist, thrasymkay, blackbloc, FriendlyObserverA, computer, grapes, 1169 .....
Socialism now!!
dumbasses, all of you DUMB ASSES.
pick up a history book, learn about economics, realize nothing is perfect. Quit the drugs
you are a fool.
this movement is in large measure all about holding people accountable - this nation has incurred debt - debt due to war, debt due to the economic collapse - and you would have us refuse to pay that debt.
you would have us tank the economy even further with such nonsense.
Revenue will be raised to meet our common obligation.
And we will hold those accountable for promoting fiscal policy and economic theory that has proven itself a sham.
The movie Inside Job makes it quite clear: Conservatives set to implement financial deregulation as far back as the late 1970s, and part of that process included the appointment to the Supreme Court
And it is clear - as that process began to bear fruit, Conservatives began screaming about Liberal Activist Judges, and thus distract the public from their process of Activism toward deregulation.
repeliKans are liars
repeliKans with their process of deregulation have fucked the American public.
repeliKans continue to lie about Global Warming
repeliKans will soon reap the harvest they have sown
The people are coming. You can't stop it. You can't avoid it. And in fact, you will benefit.
Unless of course, you get in the way. Then there's just no tellin'.
the debt of the nation is BS. the debt was created by the 1%. They are the ones who bought the politicians to make the people owe them money....don't be brain washed by the BS you hear on CNN
So you advocate a solution similar to Iceland.
To get there requires a complete meltdown of our economy - and who is to say that in that event we will not end up with a banker for Pres -
All we need to do is get the scumbag right wing out of Congress, end the bushite tax breaks and the corporate loopholes, and we can begin to pay down the deficit.
Then rewrite the tax code so it is competitive with foreign nations, and that will end the bushite repelican screaming about taxes.
I can't argue any of what you have posted.
So I guess I won't.