Seattle Press on Line - A More Perfect Union

View Point

A More Perfect Union

By Curt Firestone

Jul 04, 2002 -- As we Seattleites become reflective on Independence Day, 2002, it is a good time to look forward to determine how we can improve our lives, improve our children's lives and make our nation a better place to be.

Over the course of our nation's 225 year history, we have seen revolutionary advancements in our quality of life. Yet, our nation is still far from a utopia. I have found some clear guidance for our future in Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr's book, A More Perfect Union. So much so, that I have decided to use this 4th of July View Point to share his constitutional vision with you.

Jackson sets forth a dynamic economic and human rights agenda that incorporates new American rights - rights that are based on the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Eight constitutional amendments and a new course for foreign policy detail a quantum leap forward for our society. Once realized, this agenda will create a sense of pride and of comfort in its humanity.

1. Full Employment. Every citizen has the right to work, free choice of employment, equal pay for equal work, just compensation and benefits consistent with human dignity and the right of bargaining for employment rights collectively in trade unions.

2. Universal and Comprehensive Health Care. All citizens shall enjoy the right of accessible, equal high quality health care.

3. Affordable Housing. All citizens shall enjoy the right to decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing without discrimination.

4. Quality Public Education. All citizens shall enjoy the right to a public education of equal high quality. It shall be free; it shall be compulsory; it shall be directed to the full development of the human personality.

5. Equality. Rights shall not be denied or abridged by any state or the nation on account of sex. (And I add: sexual orientation.)6. Environment. All United States residents shall enjoy the right to a clean, safe and sustainable environment.

7. Fair taxes. The United States shall impose taxes progressively in proportion to an individual's income. (Washington State has the most regressive tax system in the USA for low and middle-income families. This is due to a regressive sales and property tax system and no progressive income tax system.)

8. Voting Rights. All citizens shall have the right to vote. This right must be stated explicitly in the Federal constitution. Only states currently franchise voters. All national elections must adhere to national guidelines and standards.

9. Foreign Policy. Rep. Jackson does not propose a foreign policy constitutional amendment, but he states: "...increasing economic justice and political democracy at home and abroad is the best way to assure that our national security interests will be protected now and in the future".

Happy Fourth of July, Mr.. President and Congress. We in Seattle call on you to implement "A More Perfect Union." Perhaps then we will have an historic 21st century worthy of our people.

Curt Firestone is a Seattle community activist. He ran for City Council in 1999 and 2001, and is also a former officer of the Washington State Rainbow Coalition, the Green Party, the Democratic Party and the national Independent Progressive Politics Network.

Reader Comments

Discuss this article in the forums!


Chris Barker	Jul 09, 2002	Auburn WA	System Engineer
****** The United States of America is one of only a few members of the United Nations with any kind of decent human rights history. We did, of our own accord, abolish slavery, give women the vote and get children out of the coal mines. Many UN members CURRENTLY fail on all of these fronts, and many more. Let’s all take a moment to ponder why we would turn to the UN for guidance. **** The “Rights” of our Bill of Rights are, basically, protection from government interference. (Go read the Bill of Rights!! Ignorance is such a pathetic waste of time.) Universal Health Care and Affordable Housing, on the other hand, are guarantees of government interference. As in the government taking YOUR money to pay for MY health care and housing. This is so simple. My freedom to peaceful assembly places no burden on you. But Martin’s right to health care requires John to pay for goods and services for Martin. Why? Because John is a super-productive member of society, providing jobs to some 2,000 people, who spend millions of dollars a year of their salaries into the local economy. (WARNING: SARCASM APPEARS IN THE NEXT SENTENCE.) John’s reward from a grateful citizenry is the “Progressive Income Tax,” see above. Instead of taking 50% of his personal income, as in Martin’s case, the government takes all but 15%. So John pays for Martin’s health care and housing, and for his own. **** “Decent” housing, to me, means that it is well-maintained and kept clean. So my “right” forces Merry Maids to come in twice a week? I don’t have to pay for my right to free speech, so I should not have to pay Merry Maids to guarantee my right to decent housing. Right? **** What’s this clause under Full Employment: “just compensation and benefits consistent with human dignity?” So I get paid enough to maintain my dignity, regardless of my value to my employer? Does this right force my employer to keep paying me a dignified wage even after he has gone out of business because he was paying me and 150 other employees more than they were worth? Or do you, the taxpayer, pick up my salary after they go out of business. Or, how about this. We raise my taxes so the government can give my employer enough money to make up the deficit between what he is paying me and what I am worth. *** By the way, if we have Full Employment, (employing even people who don’t want to be employed) at a dignified wage, why do we need Universal Health Care and Affordable Housing? The government takes Bob’s money to pay Susan’s house payment, then takes Susan’s money to pay Bob’s rent? *** Quality Public Education. “it shall be compulsory.” I can only assume this means that I am required to send my children to public schools. And in those schools my children “shall be directed to the full development of the human personality.” (Is it just me, or does this sound exactly like religious training?) I suspect that the concept here is to get all the kids away from their parents, who certainly can’t be trusted with such an important task, and teach them a uniform (and TRUE!!!) set of values. By strictly limiting knowledge ideas you are (theoretically) never more than one generation away from a new social dynamic. It’s really comical, if you think about it. I can’t be trusted with choice in my children’s education. But Tom, who lives down the street but doesn’t know my kids, and Jeannie, who lives in Detroit and has never eaten non-instant oatmeal, will be hired to develop course work for this new (actually, it’s very old) schooling concept. Here’s a scary thought. What if I, myself, get the job of writing the curriculum? ******* I know it’s irritating when a conservative gets practical about sweet-sounding liberal concepts. Tad Bartimus, a self-proclaimed liberal columnist printed in the Tacoma Tribune, was totally opposed to personal ownership of handguns until a neighbor bought a dangerous dog. She was embarassed about compromising her values, but rushed right out and bought a gun. When real life faced off with her sincerely-held belief, real life won, no contest. Please. PLEASE. Don’t implement any of these notions until you’ve considered how they might work in real life.