Saturday, November 1, 2008

The "Second Bill of Rights"

There's been some talk about a "Second Bill of Rights". The enumeration of these "Rights" goes all the way back to 1944, to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's fourth Inaugral Address.

Here they are, lifted from Wikipedia:

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.

So, here's the problem, as I see it: These are all admirable goals, but WHO decides?

WHO decides what a "good education" is, and who gets the "good education"?

WHO decides what "adequate medical care is", and who gets it?

WHO decides what a "decent home" is, and who gets it?

And... WHO decides the method of paying for all this, and WHO pays the bill?

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