Our Founding Fathers were Socialists, Too
God forbid, the right wingers of this country should have the slightest clue what our history actually is. To hear people like Glenn Beck tell it, our country was founded on some kind of every man for himself anarchy, where the constitution was written to protect us from the political decisions of our neighbors. Beck admits he is a clown, though, I think he is a lot more like Sideshow Bob than Krusty. To set the record straight here in brief is a summary of some of earliest socialist laws.
The United States government has been providing public health services since its inception. In 1776, the Continental Congress passed a pension law for soldiers that "granted half pay for life in cases of loss of limb or other serious disability." In 1789 when the Constitution was ratified, the first pension act was passed by the U.S. Congress which affirmed the 1776 law. Grants of public lands were also made to those who served in Revolutionary War. The U.S. Congress passed an act in 1798 to provide care for sick and injured merchant seamen by setting up a network of hospitals. After the war of 1812, in 1818 the Service Pension Law was passed, awarding pensions on the basis of financial need.
The history of granting land and pensions has it roots in the earliest days of this country. Socialism, promoting the public welfare, and redistributing wealth are as American as apple pie.
Republican President Lincoln, in his second inaugural address ,asked Congress to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.
Now, we are asking our representatives to do something the vast majority of the country wants. Reform the health insurance laws so people get what they pay for and provide a public option to ensure competitive prices. This is just commonsense, which is why the arguments against these proposals are full of errant nonsense.
God forbid, the right wingers of this country should have the slightest clue what our history actually is. To hear people like Glenn Beck tell it, our country was founded on some kind of every man for himself anarchy, where the constitution was written to protect us from the political decisions of our neighbors. Beck admits he is a clown, though, I think he is a lot more like Sideshow Bob than Krusty. To set the record straight here in brief is a summary of some of earliest socialist laws.
The United States government has been providing public health services since its inception. In 1776, the Continental Congress passed a pension law for soldiers that "granted half pay for life in cases of loss of limb or other serious disability." In 1789 when the Constitution was ratified, the first pension act was passed by the U.S. Congress which affirmed the 1776 law. Grants of public lands were also made to those who served in Revolutionary War. The U.S. Congress passed an act in 1798 to provide care for sick and injured merchant seamen by setting up a network of hospitals. After the war of 1812, in 1818 the Service Pension Law was passed, awarding pensions on the basis of financial need.
The history of granting land and pensions has it roots in the earliest days of this country. Socialism, promoting the public welfare, and redistributing wealth are as American as apple pie.
Republican President Lincoln, in his second inaugural address ,asked Congress to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.
Now, we are asking our representatives to do something the vast majority of the country wants. Reform the health insurance laws so people get what they pay for and provide a public option to ensure competitive prices. This is just commonsense, which is why the arguments against these proposals are full of errant nonsense.
