The Hope for Change always is about second order change.


First versus second order change

l First order change is change within a system
where the system itself remains unchanged

l Second order change is a change of the
system itself

Addictions/Admissions


When President Bush recognized our country’s oil addiction, I felt a glimmer of hope, knowing the road to recovery beings with admission. The addiction becomes clearer as the national debt
rises to meet the demand. Current cost of this addiction is $440,000 for every
taxpaying American. When faced with foreclosures, separation from family and
friends addicts’ loved ones intervene, if this doesn’t work, the addict loses
all responsibilities. We disguised our dependency on oil by invading Iraq
and now that veil has lifted. The Iraq Study Group’s report was an
intervention into our addiction. President Bush has surrounded himself with enablers,
thus putting more lives at stake, increasing the debt and risking the nations
welfare. After all, the definition of insanity is, “to keep on doing the same
thing expecting different results.” Our tax dollars are spent enabling this addiction instead of investing in the welfare of Americans. The crack addict will risk losing everything for another hit and becomes increasingly manipulative. The warning signs appear and we know that something bad is looming. President Bush has signed executive orders and signing statements, giving his office power like never before and his equalizing branches have also joined in giving him unconstitutional power. Each citizen must sacrifice and experience the
symptoms of withdraw from this addiction. Some people laughed when Bush admitted
his addiction, because we recognize the truth and feel the shame. But now we
need to start the recovery. Let’s allow for sober minds to prevail, addictions allowed to run free always turn into tyranny. Ask any child from an alcoholic home. Sobriety can turn us back to the direction of a representational democracy. Put the drink down and let’s go home.

FDR Second Bill of Rights

HOPE



Franklin D. Roosevelt
“The Economic Bill of Rights” Building The Security of The Nation
Excerpt from 11 January 1944 message to Congress on the State of the Union

It is our duty now to begin to lay the plans and determine the strategy for the winning of a lasting peace and the establishment of an American standard of living higher than ever before known. We cannot be content, no matter how high that general standard of living may be, if some fraction of our people—whether it be one-third or one-fifth or one-tenth—is ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed, and insecure.

This Republic had its beginning, and grew to its present strength, under the protection of certain inalienable political rights—among them the right of free speech, free press, free worship, trial by jury, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. They were our rights to life and liberty.

As our nation has grown in size and stature, however—as our industrial economy expanded—these political rights proved inadequate to assure us equality in the pursuit of happiness.

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.” People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.

In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, 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.

Among these are:

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.

All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being.

America’s own rightful place in the world depends in large part upon how fully these and similar rights have been carried into practice for our citizens.

source: The Public Papers & Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt (Samuel Rosenman, ed.), Vol XIII (NY: Harper, 1950), 40-42