Blog #169 – FDR’s 2nd Bill of Rights
As part of his State of the Union address on January 11, 1944, President Roosevelt presented the nation with a 2nd Bill of Rights – economic rights that the government would have to guarantee for all Americans once the laws were passed. Take a look at the following video:
He listed 8 things that would bring economic security to our nation and hopefully, by extension, to the rest of the world. At the point that he gave this address in history, America was NOT planning on a Cold War with the Soviet Union or stockpiling tens of thousands of nuclear missiles or spending billions on a military budget every year. That would come later. None of the 46 years of futility vs. the Soviet Union (1945-1991) was set in stone, nor the explosion and entrenchment of the military-industrial complex in our national economy like it is today (in 2023, the federal government spent over $800 billion for the Defense Department – https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59727).
However, America was coming out of the war w/ its biggest national debt in its history (having borrowed $200 billion from the American people in war bonds – $170 billion held by U.S. taxpayers – and from American banks + $100 billion in income taxes). Congressmen were wary of spending additional huge amounts of money on peace time programs, especially for FDR, because his New Deal programs had had such a mixed track record of success and failure.
The reason I bring this issue up is b/c I think that the country has spent the next 80 years (and may continue) to try to achieve or reverse his goals. Some administrations have added small pieces to FDR’s 2nd Bill of Rights, while other administrations have tried to rollback or even repeal other aspects of it.
Your questions to answer:
1. Out of the 8 new rights listed above, which of them do you believe have been addressed in some way or another since 1944? Try to pick at least 2 and explain our country has tried to address them or parts of these rights (if you choose #6 – adequate medical care – please try to do some research and not repeat misinformation that you might have heard, i.e., it’s going to save billions, death panels (an initial criticism of Obamacare when it was proposed), it forces everyone to buy insurance, etc.)
2. Which of these 8 rights should be the one that is immediately addressed or fixed by our Congress and President? Why?
3. Which one of these seems the least likely to be enforceable / possible to make an economic right (please don’t pick the farming right – it doesn’t affect too many people)? Why?
350 words minimum total for all three answers. Due Thursday, April 25th by class.
Further reading:
To read a book review entitled: “FDR’s 2nd Bill of Rights: A New New Deal” click here.
A response to this book from Forbes magazine who say that only one Bill of Rights is quite enough. click here.
Here’s an analysis of how the 2nd Bill is going so far: Click here.
An article about how the 2nd BoR violates the Constitution, click here.
1.
One of the rights that has come up sense 1944 is right number 5. When Covid hit in 2019 thousands lost their jobs and the homeless rate went skyrocketing. Day to day, we all see homeless people on the side of the road begging for money with signs for themselves and sometimes with their children and family. So not everyone in the country has a nice home or place to live because of how many people are homeless especially sense the pandemic outbreak. I do believe that we have addressed and performed right number 8 well tho. The right that everyone is entitled to a good education. I think that this has been met because it is a law that every child must go to school and there are rules in place that make students attend a certain amount of days and they are punished if those requirements are not met. America does a good job at informing this rule and it has definitely come up sense then because of how many schools and education options there are available and that it is necessary that students attend.
2.
A right that should be fixed by congress immediately is number four, the right for all businesses to be able to sell without huge competition. This is broken on the daily because small businesses are being crushed by huge corporations all the tike because they are the companies that make all the money. Congress needs to help these small businesses because they are normally running through the family and all the people that work there have ever known.
3.
I think that right #2 is not a right that is possible to make a right. There are many different rates and jobs that pay differently. People that work hard make a lot of money and it’s not fair for them to have to give their money to people who just don’t work. If you wanted the mo0ney to support yourself you would be working consistently and growing to make more money and grow through your business. This right is one that I do not believe should be one because you make money according to how hard you work.
One of the rights that has been partially addressed is the right to a good education. There are laws in place nationally that require children to go to school until they reach a certain age. The government also provides funding to public schools, which allows for a higher quality education. However, something that has not been addressed regarding a good education is college/university. Going to college is incredibly expensive, and although there are other options, like trade school, many can not afford college and have to put themselves in debt to put themselves through college. A “good” education does not necessarily have to include college, but for many professions, going to college or university is necessary. A right that I believe has been addressed is providing adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment. You can file for pay due to any of these reasons. This helps relieve the fear of not being financially stable for any of these reasons.
The one that I think should be addressed immediately is the fifth right listed, that every family should have the right to a decent home. I think this should be addressed because negative living conditions can lead to other things like health issues. Having a stable, decent home would dramatically impact the lives of so many Americans today. I also believe that having a decent home can make a lot of people feel safer, which I truly believe is a basic human right.
Although I think that the fifth right is one of the most important to enforce, I think it would be very difficult to enforce on a national level. There can be guidelines for what a home must have, but there is truly no way to enforce it in every home in America. Pricing is also a big issue. If the people who are affected by this right aren’t financially stable it will be difficult for them to pay for their home. Unless there is more support offered by the federal government, paying for their homes will be another stressor on people who aren’t financially stable.
1. I think the right to a good education has been addressed in a big way since 1944. In 1958 the National defense education act would be passed by Dwight D. Eisenhower that would establish federal funding for higher education and would help raise funding for student loans and smaller colleges and universities. It was used to compete with the soviet union specifically in the areas of technology and science in which the US did not want to fall behind. In 1979 Jimmy Carter would sign into law an act that would establish the US department of education, the department helped many people including homeless people and runaways to get an education, the department of education would make it so everyone would be ensured education.
2. One of these eight rights that should be addressed and/or fixed by our government and president should be the right of every businessman to to trade in an atmosphere of freedom away with no problems from monopolies either in the United states or abroad. I think that many different iterations of monopolies exist today like many sports leagues and media companies and despite the Sherman antitrust act there have been some loopholes for specific companies to jump through like insurance companies and even Major League baseball. I think the government should address this problem but in reality I think most of the politicians wouldn’t want their funding taken away from them which come from those same big corporations, i think the united states government tends to favor the bigger corporations and companies in lawsuits and other situations so it might be impossible to enforce.
3. One of these rights that seem unlikely to be enforced by our government is the right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing because there would be debates on how to measure and calculate what those earnings would be, some might argue the minimum wage but with inflation it seems like it is getting less and less likely to live off of that. I think for politicians it would be difficult for them to enforce as some of them don’t like to spend money on those who have less than them and it would be a ton of arguing trying to figure out the amount of money people would get.
Out of the 8 things listed above, two points I believe have been addressed since 1944 is the second right, “the right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation”. This can be seen today with what we know as minimum wage which changes based on prices in the markets. What’s more, is that the minimum wage changes around once a year or so. The other point that has been addressed is number eight, “the right to a good education”. One way to view this is how education in America today is now available to all regardless of sex or race, as well as required for those up to 16. Another way to view how this same part has been addressed is through the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974. The specific act prohibits discrimination in educational settings. Out of all 8 of these rights, I think the one that should be of main priority to be addressed or fixed is number five, the right of every family to a decent home. The reason I think this should be of main priority is because even though the idea is right, there is still a good portion of American citizens that are homeless, as well as those who have homes that are not necessarily suitable for living. The right I believe would be the most difficult to enforce is right number six, “the right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health”. Even as important as this may seem, it is still so far out of reach from where we are now. Even if healthcare is considered affordable for some, it still just takes so much money from them that they need to spend on other things. To add onto this, the U.S doesn’t have enough doctors, nurses, dentists, etc.
1. Out of the 8 new rights listed above, which of them do you believe have been addressed in some way or another since 1944? Try to pick at least 2 and explain how our country has tried to address them or parts of these rights.
I believe that “The right to a good education” was somehow addressed after 1944. Now in some areas, there are bad schools that don’t provide the best education, but it is still adequate enough for the student to have a shot at success. While during 1944 and before that some children didn’t even have the chance to attend school. Now I believe every child in America has access to some form of education no matter who they are, where they are from, or what they believe in. This can be seen in California, where the Supreme Court case Serrano v. Priest (1976) concluded that education is a fundamental right under its constitution. More recently in 2015, Former President Barack Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) which makes sure that public schools provide a quality education to all children. Another right that was listed by FDR that I think has been addressed in some way since 1944 is “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”. From what I see around me today I feel as though everyone who wants to open their own business or expand their already large business has the freedom to without being compressed by bigger and more powerful monopolies. Regulatory bodies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice are responsible for enforcing antitrust laws. They investigate and stop mergers throughout the business realm.
2. Which of these 8 rights should be the one that is immediately addressed or fixed by our Congress and President? Why?
I believe that “The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health” should be the one that has to be addressed as soon as possible by Congress and the president. This is because the first priority of a country’s leader is the people well well-being. No living person in the world can live a happy, fulfilling, or successful life without their health in order. In America, everyone indeed has the right to healthcare, but not everyone has the means to afford it. What I believe America needs, is free healthcare, which should be a basic human right, not something you pay for. This makes it only available to people who can afford it, and the people who can’t go through life without the opportunity to achieve good health.
3. Which one seems the least likely to be enforceable/possible to make an economic right (please don’t pick the farming right – it doesn’t affect too many people)? Why?
I think that “The right of every family to a decent home” is the least likely to be enforceable/possible to make an economic right because in America there is lots of poverty. Millions of homeless people and families. These families most of the time don’t have a home to go to at the end of the night., If they end up having a home to go to it would be far from decent. On a single night in January 2023, an estimated 186,084 people in families — or 57,563 family households — were identified as homeless. That would be only based on one day, so the effort to put these families in safe homes would be a huge project that would cost tons of money. This doesn’t mean that our government shouldn’t still try to fix the issue.
Sidenote: Sorry I turned this in late. I misread the due date as being due by midnight tonight instead of by class time today.
Since Roosevelt passed the Second Bill of Rights, the right to a good education has been addressed. Many veterans were able to go to college after the war ended for a discounted price and because many veterans needed jobs after the war, many of them went to college to get an education. People who previously couldn’t afford school were able to pay for college and the amount of college degree holders more than doubled from 1940 to 1950. Another addressed Right of the GI bill was “the right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation.” With the creation of minimum wages in many states across the U.S. people were able to afford food, clothing, and essential materials. The minimum wage was also increased throughout the 20th century and in the 21st century, in July 2009, the minimum wage was increased to $7.25 per hour.
#4 “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” should be the one that is addressed immediately. People should be able to run small businesses without having to compete against mega-companies that control most of the industry. Big companies already have billions of dollars made while there are people who are unable to start up their businesses because of the massive competition they are faced by these companies. If the President and Congress protected small businesses from these monopolies, there could be more people with better-paying jobs and people who can make a decent living.
The right of every family to a decent home would be the most difficult act to make possible. Houses are expensive to make and the real estate industry is huge. There are currently people trying to create solutions to create cheap housing, but houses normally would take years to pay off and the government giving decent housing to everyone would be extremely difficult. There may not be a single country that has pulled off something like this and the fall of the real estate industry may be detrimental.
Number 6 on the list comes to my mind first. With the introduction of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in 2010, millions of poor people/families have been able to afford health insurance. While there were downsides to the act, such as higher premiums, Obamacare was ultimately a success and put our country one step closer to adequate medical care for all. Another piece of FDR’s list is the right to good education, and the significant court case Brown v. The Board of Education helped to establish this. This case established that segregated schools were unconstitutional, and was a big step in equal education for all, addressing number 8 on Roosevelt’s list.
As of right now, #5 on FDR’s list (the right to a decent home) and #2 (the right to earn enough money to provide a living) should be addressed immediately. According to security.org, in 2023, about 650 thousand people (1 in 500) experienced homelessness, nearly 111 thousand of them being children. While the government has taken steps, and certain states have seen a rise in homeless shelters and affordable housing, there are still many things that need to be done. However, with the massive inflation in our country, it will be very difficult, especially because when people do get jobs, they are being paid less than minimum wage (#2). If we do not allow our citizens the right to make enough money to earn a living, then our homelessness problem will continue to get worse.
Act #4 states that every business, large or small, should have the right to fair trade. This act, I believe, is the most difficult to enforce nationwide. In a perfect world, this would be something that would help millions of people, however, in the end, big corporations will come out on top economically. Large companies are a key part of the United States economy, and allowing smaller businesses to take over would not be a good decision. Due to big corporations playing a larger role in the economy and having more power and status, it would be extremely difficult to enforce trade for all.
1. Two of the rights listed in President Roosevelt’s proposed Second Bill of Rights have seen significant efforts towards implementation since 1944 The right to adequate medical care has seen strides, especially with the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. While the ACA faced considerable political opposition and implementation challenges, it expanded access to health insurance coverage for millions of Americans through provisions such as Medicaid expansion and the establishment of health insurance marketplaces. Though not perfect and subject to ongoing debate and refinement, it marked a significant step towards addressing the issue of healthcare accessibility in the United States. Also, the right to a good education has been a focal point of various policies and initiatives at both the federal and state levels. Efforts such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and its successor, the No Child Left Behind Act (Kanye reference lol) aimed to improve educational standards and outcomes across the country. Moreover, the Every Student Succeeds Act has provided greater flexibility to states in education policy while still emphasizing accountability and support for disadvantaged students. Programs like Pell Grants and student loan assistance seek to make higher education more accessible and affordable, albeit with ongoing challenges regarding student debt and educational equity.
2. The right that should be immediately addressed by Congress and the President is the right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment. While Social Security and Medicare have provided critical support for retirees and those with disabilities, the changing economic landscape and demographic shifts necessitate reevaluation and potential expansion of these programs. Rising healthcare costs, income inequality, and the gig economy’s growth underscore the urgency of ensuring comprehensive and sustainable social safety nets for all Americans, regardless of age or circumstance. All these near reforms of economic policy that shape welfare, and adequate protection provides that starting point.
3. 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 appears the least likely to be enforceable as an economic right. While antitrust laws exist to prevent monopolistic practices and promote competition, the complexities of modern global markets and the influence of multinational corporations pose significant challenges to ensuring truly fair and equitable trading environments. Moreover, enforcement efforts may face political, legal, and practical obstacles, making it difficult to fully guarantee this right in its intended scope. These all in net have harms that outweigh any benefits through new opportunities of exploitation.
1. Two of the rights from FDR’s proposed Second Bill of Rights have seen significant attention and progress since 1944:
The right to a decent home.This right has been addressed through various housing programs and initiatives aimed at providing affordable housing to low-income individuals and families. For instance, the establishment of the Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD in 1965 under President Johnson’s administration marked a significant step in addressing housing issues(world channel news+wikipedia) Programs like public housing, Section 8 vouchers, and subsidized housing loans have contributed to improving access to decent housing for many Americans, although challenges like affordability in certain areas persist.(hud.gov+wikipedia)
The right to a good education. Efforts to fulfill this right have led to the establishment of widespread public education systems. Over time, federal programs like Title I (aimed at supporting disadvantaged students), the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) have aimed to ensure equitable access to quality education for all, although disparities in educational outcomes and resources remain a concern.(education resources information center)
2. The right that I think should be immediately addressed is the right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health(#6).This is a fundamental aspect of well-being and security, and ensuring access to affordable, quality healthcare is super important for individuals and families. Addressing this right involves healthcare reform aimed at expanding coverage, controlling costs, and improving the overall quality of healthcare services. Accessible healthcare not only benefits individuals but also contributes to a healthier and more productive society.
3. The right that seems least enforceable or challenging to make an economic right might be 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(#4). Fully guaranteeing this right in all parts of the economy seems near impossible, no matter the laws in place. Global economic dynamics, technological advancements, and regulatory challenges pose issues when trying to fully achieve this right. Also, competition is an integral part of business and capitalism. Balancing competition and market dynamics while preventing monopolistic control requires ongoing regulation that evolves with economic changes.
One right that has been addressed in our country is the right to good education. In most states, education is mandatory until at least 16. Children and teens must attend school for a certain amount of time to successfully graduate school. Also, schooling in our country is adaptable to many. Whether there are challenges with money or religious reasons, there are schools for all. This provides every child in America with their right to a good education. Though once a child reaches the end of highschool, a lot of Americans are faced with a challenge. Due to the immense cost of college and universities in America, many are unable to attend school after high school. This limits America’s goal of having the right to a good education, as many of the jobs in today’s society require graduate level degrees. Another right that has been addressed is the right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation. Some measures by the United States are minimum wage and government funding like food stamps. Though differing from state to state, minimum wage requires a business to pay their employees a minimum wage. This wage provides just enough to live life. There are downsides though, as some states have low minimum wages, giving their workers practically nothing. Additionally, as the family size grows, minimum wage becomes harder and harder to supply their family with food, clothing, and recreation. Though, another measure taken by the government is funding. Examples are food stamps, unemployment checks, and disability checks. Food stamps are given to people who do not make enough money to easily support themselves or their families. This government assistance gives those in need enough money to buy food. Unemployment checks are given to people who find themselves unemployed and are unable to become employed. This helps support these unfortunate individuals and helps them have a steady lifestyle while unemployed. Finally, disability checks are similar to unemployment. These are given to people whose disability enables them to work.
A right that should be addressed by the government is adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health. In America, many are unable to afford the expensive medical care. The high prices disable many from getting the medical health they deserve, causing them to suffer. Life saving surgeries can cost thousands of dollars. If one is in desperate need of this surgery, they may end up being in great deals of medical debt. Overall, everyone deserves to be able to keep themselves safe and healthy without having to worry if it will stop them from being able to eat.
The right to every family having a decent home seems to be the hardest to enforce. Housing needs are different for all. Depending on the size of families, a decent home differs for all. Additionally, depending on where the family lives, pricing is difficult. A home the same size in a big city compared to the countryside will differ. Some land is more desirable or more highly populated, making it hard for everyone to have a decent home.
(1)The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of sickness has been partially addressed by the Family and Medical Leave Act. This piece of legislation passed in 1993, states that an injury-induced leave for less than or equal to 12 weeks is not a proper reason for a company to fire its employees. For these 12 weeks, the employee does not get paid but does not have to concern themselves about the security of their position.
The right to a good education has also been supported, but with various acts that prohibit discrimination in any educational setting. Prime examples of legislation passed to ensure this right are the Educational Amendments of 1974: protected gender equality in the classroom (which at that time was a precaution for female students) and the prohibition of racial discrimination in the classroom.
(2)The right to earn enough to provide adequate food, clothing, and recreation should be addressed with urgency. The way I see it, these resources would be provided by the government and received like unemployment. Realistically, what is deemed “adequate” is typically determined by a citizen’s sex and age. However, the priorities of varying ages may determine which resource they need more access to. For example, a growing athlete may prioritize food and recreation, as they would need the fuel and means to continue their athletic career. The priorities of adults are different, and this may mean that they would choose new clothing for an interview over a new basketball.
It will be challenging to ensure that those in need of these additional resources receive what they need or can utilize. But, the challenge isn’t a problem when provisions for the people are the goal in mind. In summary, the right to earn enough to provide adequate food, recreation, and clothing should be immediately addressed, because if a citizen is presented and provided for they make be more likely to come across opportunities.
(3)The right of every right to a decent home is the right that is least likely to be addressed. First, the debate concerning what a decent home is would take a considerable amount of time to play out. If current military housing is deemed “a decent home”, then replicas should be created and distributed to those that don’t have decent housing. Furthermore, I would imagine that a stand-alone home, with excluded utilities, would prove more hassle than a blessing. So, this right is the one least likely to be addressed because it is vague in a way that does not include the definition of a decent home, nor how the government intends to change its definition as the standard of living changes.