A decent basis

This is lifted whole from a January 12 reader contribution to BuzzFlash by someone who describes themselves as a history teacher for the DOD and "just thought the Bill of Rights needed an update."

Bill of Rights - Revised, 2004

1. We have the right to clean air, clean water, and food that is safe to eat.

2. We have a right to representational government that is not tainted or influenced by lobbyists.

3. We have a right to examine the records, minutes, and notes of any elected official.

4. We have a right to universal health care.

5. We have the right to peacefully and publicly protest against the actions of any elected official within their hearing and sight.

6. We have the right to unbiased news and information that is not controlled by the government or influenced by corporate cronyism.

7. We have the right to a paper trail that can verify the results of any election.

8. We have the right to criticize administrative policies without being labeled as traitors.

9. We have a right to taxes that are fairly based on income, with the wealthiest citizens shouldering the greatest share.

10. We have the right to demand that corporations stop their despicable practice of off-shore tax shelters as well as to insist that if an American corporation closes its doors to American workers, that that corporation should have to pay its employees on foreign soil an amount equal to what an American employee would receive.

I expect we all could add or revise items (I'd change "demand" and "insist" in #10 to "require" and bring in economic restructuring) but on the whole, a pretty good start for a fundamentally decent society.