Where is our economic bill of rights & justice for all?

A famous U.S. patriot of the Revolutionary War against Britain, Thomas Paine, is quoted as saying, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” But for millions of oppressed people in the U.S. and globally, these times are also a continuation of the realities of their lives that have existed for eons. Today’s economic crisis and political situation are just another chapter in the history of their injuries.

The end of U.S. pre-emptive wars of aggression and occupation is nowhere in sight. Neither is the end of poverty or racism. The rights of workers, Indigenous peoples and lesbian, gay, bi and trans people continue to be ignored.

New U.S. federal laws have been enacted to curtail civil liberties, and the average person can now be designated a “terrorist.” U.S. political prisoners are referred to as enemies of the state when fighting for their civil and human rights. Entitlements to housing, jobs, quality health care and a decent education are viewed as privileges reserved only for some, not as human rights for all.

So while the imperialist U.S. government engages in wars in the Middle East, including embargoes, and threats to Latin America, Africa and elsewhere, the war economy and capitalist greed here at home have created the biggest crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

During World War II, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt made a proposal to Congress in his January 1944 address. He suggested that it was time to implement what he called “The Economic Bill of Rights.” It is also known as the “Second Bill of Rights,” with reference to the Bill of Rights contained in the U.S. Constitution.

Roosevelt, a politician from a ruling-class family who made some concessions to U.S. workers in order to rescue the capitalist system, saw the existing constitution as proving inadequate to assure equality in the pursuit of happiness. His solution was an economic bill of rights which would raise the standard of living for the disenfranchised and marginalized and would establish prosperity for all regardless of “station, race or creed.”

He saw that there were people in the country who were “ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed and insecure.” He said that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence; that people in need who were hungry and without a job were not free.

Contained in President Roosevelt’s Economic Bill of Rights are the following: the right to a useful and remunerative job, and to earn enough to provide adequate food, clothing and recreation; the right of farmers to earn a decent living for their families; and of small businesses to be free from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad; the right of every family to a decent home, adequate medical care, and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health; the right to adequate economic protection in old age, sickness, accident and unemployment; and the right to a good education.

Roosevelt’s bill of rights was never implemented prior to his death in the spring of 1945 or since. Where do we go from here? According to Roosevelt, “After the war is won, we must be prepared to move forward in implementing these rights.” Well, we can’t afford to wait until after current wars are over. And because these times are truly trying, now is the time to move forward to demand our rights.

Now is the time to end poverty, stop foreclosures and evictions, fight for housing rights, and for the rights of all workers to living wages. We can’t wait for some future date for quality health care and education, nor wait for the rights of undocumented workers to be protected. We must say No to institutional racism, and the oppression of women, LGBT people and Indigenous peoples worldwide. We have to continue fighting for the freedom of political prisoners. And demanding the end of the wars that are draining our economy is a must!