By Alan Minsky, Executive Director – Progressive Democrats of America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 11, 2022

PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS CALL UPON ALL PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES AND OFFICEHOLDERS TO CHAMPION A 21st CENTURY ECONOMIC BILL OF RIGHTS

Contacts:
Alan Minsky, Executive Director, Progressive Democrats of America Alan@PDAmerica.org 818-749-9497
Harvey J. Kaye, Professor Emeritus of Democracy and Justice Studies, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, HarveyJKaye@gmail.com

Who: Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), a grassroots political action committee

What: Issued a 21st Century Economic Bill of Rights—a strong, inspirational challenge to all candidates and incumbents who consider themselves “progressives”

Where: Nationwide at polling places, online, in media and public appearances, etc.

Why: To guarantee that all people residing in the United States enjoy the basic necessities of life regardless of their income, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or country of origin

When: From today through the mid-term elections and beyond

How: Through outspoken, principled, pragmatic leadership

Washington, D.C.—Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), a grassroots political action committee, issued a “21st Century Economic Bill of Rights,” a strong, inspirational challenge to all candidates and incumbents who consider themselves “progressives.”

Alan Minsky, PDA Executive Director, said, “Harking back to the New Deal Era, PDA outlined a 21st Century Economic Bill of Rights that would guarantee all people residing in the United States the right to the basic necessities of life regardless of their income, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or country of origin. This 21st Century Economic Bill of Rights will establish that all Americans are entitled to: a job that pays a living wage, quality health care, complete education, affordable housing, a clean environment, and a secure retirement.”

Minsky recalled, “In his 1944 State of the Union Address, President Franklin Roosevelt articulated popular American aspirations by calling for an Economic Bill of Rights as a necessary addition to the original Bill of Rights. Polls conducted by the White House in 1943 had revealed that after the Second World War, Americans wanted guaranteed healthcare, guaranteed employment, and guaranteed aid to students.”

Empowered by these findings, FDR declared, “We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. … Necessitous men are not free men. [Therefore we need] a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all regardless of station, race, or creed.”

Minsky declared, “All of those statements are as true today as they were 78 years ago. Therefore, PDA proposes a 21st Century Economic Bill of Rights—a Bill of Rights, and we call on all progressive candidates and officeholders to embrace this platform to guarantee all people residing in the United States the right to the basic necessities of life regardless of their income, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or country of origin.”

The 21st Century Economic Bill of Rights will establish that all Americans are entitled to:

1. The right to a job that pays a living wage
2. The right to quality health care
3. The right to a complete education
4. The right to affordable housing
5. The right to a clean environment
6. The right to a secure retirement

Minsky said, “These essential rights are taken verbatim from Bernie Sanders 2020 campaign website. Concise and memorable, we believe they advance a fine starting point. We do recognize the need to enhance that list. For instance, Right #1 should read ‘The right to a job that pays a living wage, guarantees paid sick leave and at weeks of paid vacation.’ Also, ‘The right to a voice in the workplace through labor union representation and collective bargaining”

Minsky said, “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called for an Economic Bill of Rights. And more recently, in 2018, economists Mark Paul, William Darity and Derek Hamilton laid out a call for a nine item 21st Century Bill of Rights. But we can debate the nuances of those proposals later.”

Minsky said, “Embracing this new Bernie Sanders’ 21st Century Economic Bill of Rights will make it all the more clear what distinguishes Progressive Democrats from both moderate Democrats and Republicans—that only Progressive Democrats truly stand for the type of economy and society that the overwhelming majority of Americans support.”

Minsky said, “Progressive Democrats support the following   propositions, that everyone deserves: economic security and the ability to live a promising life, health care, housing, and retirement security, well-funded public education—K through college, solutions to the climate emergency, and all other basic human rights.”

Minsky said, “Our support for these imperatives differentiate Progressive Democrats from so-called ‘moderate’ or ‘corporate’ Democrats and the ‘conservative’ Republicans. Progressives support a platform of policies designed to enable Americans, all Americans, to both secure the nation’s promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and make America progressively better in the process.”

Minsky added, “We reject the cynicism that says we can do little to remedy the endemic social ills that have caused so many to lose faith in our national project—and in contrast to those who favor retreat or the status quo, we present a vision of and a call to action for positive democratic renewal and growth.”

Minsky concluded, “Just as FDR’s Second Bill of Rights did in 1944, ours lays out a blueprint for a more prosperous and inclusive America with expanded liberty for all in a healthy and vibrant democracy. Thus, we call upon all progressive candidates and officeholders to embrace our proposal for a 21st Century Economic Bill of Rights and promise to seek its implementation.”

Special thanks to Prof. Harvey J Kaye for his guidance. Check out Prof Kaye’s commentary on FDR’s Economic Bill of Rights in this video.

Progressive Democrats of America was founded in 2004 to transform the Democratic Party and U.S. politics by working inside and outside of the party to elect empowered progressives, and by building the progressive movement in solidarity with with peace, justice, civil rights, environmental, and other reform efforts. This, to deliver on the promise of the U.S. Constitution, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”
For more information about PDA, please see PDAmerica.org