Do not let the vision die
In 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt suggested in his State of the Union address that the Constitution and Bill of Rights did not offer Americans an equal opportunity for the pursuit of happiness. He proposed a Second Bill of Rights was needed to help level the playing field. This economic bill of rights would guarantee: Employment with a living wage Freedom from unfair competition and monopolies Housing Medical care Education Social Security This vision of Roosevelt’s is now in tatters on every count from the Republican’s plan to privatize Medicare, make drastic cuts to education, and slash Social Security benefits, to name a few. Republican policies seek to thwart or dismantle the progress made over many decades towards achieving Roosevelt’s goals for Americans. His compassionate goal for 'economic stability’ and a fair opportunity for 'the pursuit of happiness’. History will not judge the United States by how much we spent on nuclear weapons and other killing machines, how many unnecessary overseas wars we pursued, or how much we favored big business and the rich but rather by how much compassion and care we showed our sick, disadvantaged, and less fortunate. America will be judged by how well we did to assure every citizen an equal opportunity to enjoy the good life. There has been no greater champion of the regressive Republican policies that have led to the deplorable state of our economy, explosion in the incomes of the rich, and fraying of the social support system than Governor Chris Christie. This November the voters will have the chance to express their displeasure with Governor Christie’s tilt towards the interest of Wall Street, big business, the rich, and the Republican’s dismissal of environmental threats by voting for the New Jersey Democratic 24th candidates. I will vote for Ed Selby, Senate candidate and Assembly candidates, Jim Nye and Leslie Huhn. They will stand up to Christie’s attacks on the working people and middle class. Gene Clifford Blairstown