Ch. 46 Promote the General Welfare
"This dullness of vision regarding the importance of the general welfare to the individual is the measure of the failure of our schools and churches to teach the spiritual significance of genuine democracy."
Henry A. Wallace
"...promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..."
These words from the Preamble to the United States Constitution establish a fundamental promise and purpose of our government.
The founders recognized that a nation's strength lies not only in its defense capabilities or economic power, but in the collective well-being of its citizens. The phrase "general Welfare" was deliberately chosen... not just the welfare of the privileged 1%, but the welfare of the people as a whole.
Yet throughout our history, particularly in recent decades, we have seen a deliberate disconnect between this constitutional promise and the policies enacted by our leadership.
This chapter examines three critical pillars of general welfare...
- Education
- Fair wages
- Healthcare
And how government actions have prioritized private profit over public good, creating systems that benefit the few at the expense of the many.
Education: The Foundation of Opportunity
In January 1958, as the Cold War intensified following the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik, President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered a State of the Union address that would reshape American education.
Recognizing both the strategic and societal importance of an educated population, Eisenhower called for massive federal investment in education through the National Defense Education Act. Increasing the education budget by about 12%, this was an acknowledgement of the fact that an educated citizenry was vital to both national security and prosperity.
But this commitment to education as a public good didn't last. And the retreat from public education was not accidental. In a public statement on October 29, 1970, Ronald Reagan's advisor Roger Freeman said the quiet part out loud... "We are in danger of producing an educated proletariat."
Clearly, for these men, an educated working class posed a threat to existing power structures. Since then, we have witnessed what can only be described as a systematic right-wing war on education (for anyone but the children of the wealthy).
Educational opportunity has become increasingly stratified along economic lines, with quality education accessible only to those who can afford to live in wealthy districts or pay for private schooling.
For children in underserved communities, inadequate education becomes part of a self-perpetuating cycle of generational poverty. Limited educational opportunities lead to limited economic opportunities, which in turn limit the educational prospects of the next generation.
The dismantling of the Department of Education under the Trump administration represents a culmination of this decades-long effort. This action directly impacts the most vulnerable students: those from low-income backgrounds, children with disabilities, and those relying on civil rights protections.
By eliminating federal oversight and support for these populations, we are abandoning the promise that education should be a pathway to opportunity for all Americans, not just those born into wealth and privilege.
Fair Wages: The Economics of Dignity
A second pillar of general welfare is economic security through fair compensation for work.
Research consistently shows that a thriving wage (approximately $77,000 annually) does more than simply provide basic necessities. It creates a foundation for overall well-being, increasing productivity, reducing stress-related health issues, and strengthening family stability.
Perhaps more importantly, beyond individual benefits, fair wages serve as economic stimulus. When working people have disposable income, they spend it in their communities, i.e. local businesses, restaurants, and service providers. This increases what economists call the "velocity of money" (how quickly currency circulates through the economy) which directly correlates with GDP growth.
Put simply, when working class Americans have money to spend, the entire economy benefits.
This reality serves to show the ethical bankruptcy of the "trickle-down" theory that has dominated American economic policy since the 1980s. This theory, based on the premise that tax cuts and other benefits for the wealthy would naturally flow downward to benefit all Americans, has been thoroughly discredited by real-world outcomes. Instead, we've seen wealth increasingly concentrated at the top, while wages for most Americans have stagnated when adjusted for inflation.
Trickle-down economics has consistently resulted in only two things: slow national economic growth, and increasing economic inequality.
Meanwhile, the federal minimum wage, intended to ensure a basic standard of living for all workers, has remained at $7.25 per hour since 2009, its longest period without an increase since its establishment. This represents not merely governmental neglect but an active policy choice that forces millions of full-time workers to live in poverty despite their labor.
Does it need to be said? Widespread Poverty is diametrically opposed to General Welfare.
Healthcare for All: A Right, Not a Privilege
America's healthcare system may be the most egregious example of our government's failure to promote the general welfare.
The United States stands alone among developed nations in its failure to provide universal healthcare coverage. Americans pay substantially more for healthcare than citizens of any other developed nation, yet our outcomes lag behind countries that provide taxpayer-funded healthcare.
Life expectancy, infant mortality, maternal mortality, and other key health indicators show that our expensive system fails to deliver proportional benefits. The average American family pays approximately twice what families in comparable nations pay for healthcare, yet receives less comprehensive coverage and faces greater uncertainty.
Medical bills remain the leading cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. A reality that would be unthinkable in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, or any other peer nation. Even Americans with insurance face the constant threat of financial ruin from healthcare costs, whether through high deductibles, out-of-network charges, or treatments denied by insurance companies prioritizing profit over patient care.
The human cost of this system is incalculable.
Millions of Americans delay or forgo necessary medical care due to cost concerns. Families deplete savings, liquidate assets, and accumulate debt to pay for essential treatments.
This isn't merely an economic issue, it's a profound moral failure that contradicts our constitutional commitment to promoting the general Welfare.
How do We Reclaim the Promise of the Constitution?
Inarguably, education, fair wages, and healthcare are the very pillars of welfare for the general populace.
Yet our leadership has demonstrated a consistent prioritization of private profit over public good. Corporate interests and wealthy individuals have captured significant influence over policy decisions, resulting in a government that often serves the few at the expense of the many.
This represents a fundamental betrayal of the constitutional promise to "promote the general Welfare." Our constitution states that a government exists primarily to serve its citizens... all of its citizens. When we allow essential systems like education, labor, and healthcare to be governed primarily by profit motives rather than public needs, we abandon this foundational principle.
Reclaiming the promise of the general Welfare requires more than the occasional vote and prayers for incremental policy adjustments.
It demands a fundamental reconsideration of our national priorities and a recognition that certain essential needs are not negotiable, or to be left to the whims of our "betters."
It requires acknowledging that investment in public goods like education, fair wages, and healthcare creates a stronger, more prosperous society for everyone (including the wealthy).
It requires an engaged citizenry that is willing to take responsibility for seeing that this welfare is provided. Yes, we have to hold our lawmakers accountable for fulfilling their oaths of office (they are sworn to uphold the constitution).
But more importantly, we can see that this promise if fulfilled by creating a Parallel Society that ensures these benefits. We can build a new Well-Being Economy that provides education, fair wages and healthcare as part of it's design.
It's time to renew that promise, else how will we Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and our Posterity?
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RESOURCES CITED BELOW. NO NEED TO EDIT
ion (for any but the children of the wealthy).
ReplyDeleteChange “any” to “anyone” (if just for the sake of clarity)
—at local businesse
ReplyDelete(Change the dash to [, i.e. local business…] )
1980s. The premise that tax cuts and other benefits for the wealthy would naturally flow downward to benef
ReplyDelete(Change The premise to “This premise ”)
1980s. The premise that tax cuts and other benefits for the wealthy would naturally flow downward to benef
ReplyDelete(This theory is based on the premise that…)
Note the preceding two edits. Ignore the first one!
ReplyDeletecal bills remain the leading cause of bankruptcy in the US. A reality
ReplyDelete(Change US. To “U.S.”)
titution states that a government exists primarily to serve its citizens... all its citizens. When we allow essential systems like education, labor, and healthcare to be governed
ReplyDelete“Change “all its citizens”” to “all of its citizens ”
Reclaiming the promise of the general welfare requires more than the occasional vote and prayer
ReplyDelete(To remain consistent and true to the original quote, Capitalize as follows: general Welfare) review text to ensure consistency
or to be left to the whims of our betters.
ReplyDeleteRecommend that you add quotation marks on “betters” to highlight the audacity and narcissistic attitude of our policy makers
Beautiful, easy read! Note, “general Welfare” should be capitalized where ther stand-alone word “welfare” should not, just to avoid any confusion.
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