Michael Lissack include how much of a social safety net to provide. This requires an ac- tive, effective government and the reform of major social-welfare programs. Whatever the costs of these programs, they pale in comparison to the known costs of poverty-crime, drug abuse, family violence, malnutrition, suicide, ignorance, and political apathy. Full Employment. Every American has a right to a decent job, and the government has a responsibility to serve as the employer of last resort. No level of unemployment is acceptable. There is no shortage of essential public needs-pollution clean-up, environmental restoration, housing rehabilita- tion, rural health care, highway construction-that today’s unemployed could be hired to address. Economic justice. Reducing the extremes of rich and poor will require steep income taxes on those who earn immense sums and wealth taxes on those who can pay. Social Equality. Equality of opportunity can be coupled with creating special opportunities for victims of discrimination. But money and ideal- ism cannot just be thrown at inequality, it’s clear that common sense and practical wisdom must allow for the development of “separate but better’’ programs for the disadvantaged in communities and workplaces. Sustainable Development. Reorienting incentives and regulations to ensure greater use of renewable resources and lower levels of pollution may require curbing our ever increasing personal consumption and economic growth while being more open to changing lifestyles. Democratic Participation. Dramatic changes in the political system may be needed including proportional representation, participatory citizen boards, government financing of elections, and the elimination of barriers to the use of recall, the initiative, referendums, and term limits. Our system of government in the twentieth century has emphasized the responsibility of the individual voter to be a self-mobilizing citizen, to follow closely the issues of politics, to read up on the candidates and their positions, to be familiar with government policies and proposals. The theory is that the people will simply discount all the various information presented to them appropriately, like handicapping a horse race, and make an educated guess of
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