Our friends at the Scholars and Rogues blog published this fascinating list of progressive goals and ideals that are very achievable by our Nation’s Tricentennial celebration in 2076. Look the list over and let us know what you think is truly achievable by then.
I clearly have some favs in here, but I have to wonder how these goals match up with the notion of freedom that the old boy’s network on Grand Avenue would agree with since their limited view of freedom is defined by how much you pay in taxes and how little or how much goverment intervenes in our lives.Â
Freedom is a much bigger concept than that.
Here’s a sampling; click the link to see the rest of the list:
The Tricentennial Manifesto, v1.0
- In 2076, every citizen should be educated to his or her highest potential. This education should not be a function of the citizen’s ability to pay, but should be treated as the nation’s investment in its own future.
- In 2076, no citizen should go hungry due to poverty.
- In 2076, all citizens should take for granted access to basic, comprehensive health care.
- In 2076, the same restrictions against government intrusion into a citizen’s life accorded by the US Constitution should safeguard us against similar abuses by private, corporate and other business entities.
- In 2076, every business operating in America should act in accordance with “triple bottom line†principles: maximizing profit must be balanced by an equal responsibility to serving the best interests of people and the planet.
- In 2076, bias based on race, gender, class, sexual orientation, religious affiliation or any other form of categorization by which we have historically restricted opportunity for other citizens should be nothing more than an embarrassing artifact of our past. Any right enjoyed by one citizen or group of citizens should be enjoyed by all.
- In 2076, every citizen should face a landscape of opportunity that’s defined by a level playing field. We accept that inequities will always exist and that some people will always have a head start in whatever they pursue, but the relative advantages of one person or group should not mean a corresponding disadvantage for another. Some may be positioned to achieve more, but all should be empowered to achieve enough.
- In 2076, all technological development should be undertaken subject to a professional ethical code that emphasizes social value instead of mere profit motive.
- In 2076, US foreign policy will be conducted in such as way as to promote as much goodwill as possible. While international conflict is likely to be an unfortunate reality for the foreseeable future, it should be recognized that foreign policy based on military domination and the establishment of corporate consumer markets are guaranteed to breed ill will that fosters more conflict over time.
- In 2076, Americans should view themselves as citizens first and consumers last.
- In 2076, the world should be free of weapons of mass destruction.
- In 2076, citizen participation in the democratic process should be ubiquitous and all votes should be informed votes.
- In 2076, a citizen’s satisfaction with life should no longer be a function of how much money he or she spends on material distractions.
- In 2076, our educational system will assure that our right brains are nurtured as well as our left, preparing students to be successful in life as well as their careers.
- In 2076, America’s standards for leadership and public service should be so high that only the brightest and best even bother to seek public office.
Wow. This is a scary cross between 1984 and Soylent Green. That anyone thinks the capitalists of this society will ever let such a socialistic view approach the horizon of humanity, is absurd. Money, in some form or other, will talk and BS will walk. This nation and world is truly led by the current manifesto that “he who dies with the most toys, wins”. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
By the way, Dan, you by your comment in the story I assume you think government intervention and taxes are absolutely necessary. Why should I pay higher taxes to support an out-of-control nanny state government?
Nonetheless, good story.
In today’s paper the current progressive liberal administration has embraced the “Ronald Reagan†Star wars defense strategy of a global missile defense shield. Who would have thought.
In the past the “progressive†thought was that a society of free individual making choices that benefited themselves was the best choice for a free people and free marker system.
Under the Tricentennial Manifesto, v1.0, who will be responsible for enforcing the rules upon the people?
Dan, since I am a conservative as opposed to a progressive, that puts me into the “good ol boy” group. However, I do not subscribe to freedom being about how much tax one pays or government intervention. I come down solidly on the side of less government is the best government (even in Irvine) and the government forcibly extracts too much of the average persons wealth.
With a few exceptions, I found the points listed to be insightful, but only had one question of the authors. Please tell me why a majority of those goals should not be in place in 2010, as opposed to 2076? Absolutely no excuse for anyone in this country to go to bed hungry or without a roof over their head, unless they choose to do so. No excuse for a child not to get the finest possible education and to develop into the best person they can be. Of course, this takes more than just education. It requires a support system of values which starts with parents. This is not something you can legislate or demand and clearly a major detractor to this goal. While not supporting government run medical care, it is a no brainer to acknowledge that everyone in the United States should receive basic and adequate medical care and treatment. Again, I preface this with those who want it, because there are some who do not.
The list goes on and on with goals which should already be in place, but unfortunately are not. That is a sad testament of what the American society has grown into.
A few of the goals were not to my taste and slanted away from traditional American initiative and enterprise. An example would be the Foreign Policy goal. Now, I can certainly agree it is long since time to stop being Policeman of the World and we need to bring our troops home from all over and put them to work securing out own country. Military domination has never been a true American goal, except in cases where others attacked us or our allies. However, serving up American lives in places like Iraq and Afghanistan is a travesty at best. As far as free enterprise goes, America has it’s work cut out for it merely to stay abreast of many emerging nations. Relegating us to a Third World Country status, would serve no useful purpose. In the achieving a level playing field, the authors seem to contradict themselves. It would be less complicated to merely say, “The playing field should be level to a certain point. From that point forward it would depend on motivation, efforts and achievements of each individual to climb the ladder of success.”
Bottom line, the article throws out a lot of questions to inquiring minds, as to what we should be doing to make this change happen now.
Glaring omission:
GLOBAL WARMING!
If I live to 2076, I’ll be really old (feasible) but as the nation celebrates its 300th birthday, chances are I’ll die from not being able to pay to keep the AC on when one of those climate change roasters pays a visit!
Gabriel —
See #5 again; it’s in there but worded in a manner to gain support from Conservatives.
Pat — Loved your comment; there’s (liberal) hope for you yet
Thank god that I will be dead before any of that poppycock comes to fruition. Does that 2076 date calculate in the Tea Party roadblocks of 2010 & 2012?
Why 2076? To hasten it, why not stop the importation of goods not made under the same or similar labor and environmental laws that we must abide by? Further, why don’t we stop the imports from countries that refuse to import our goods?
junior and keep da peace, did you even read the list? Some of the first few could probably be classified as lefty thinking, but the rest were about human dignity.
I’m going to add one:
16. In 2076, blog participants will read posts in their entirety before commenting.
Ltpar,
You said the “I” word – “individual.”
That word is anathema to liberals, progressives and others who pursue a socialist agenda. They prefer words like race, group and collective.