CBA Record March-April 2026

THE YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION

itself as an entity; and, years later, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948. In his 1944 State of the Union address, Roosevelt posed another chal lenge—this time, to Congress rather than the American public.

l The right to a useful and remunera tive job; l The right to earn enough to provide adequate food, clothing, and recre ation; l The right of every farmer to raise and sell products at a return that will gen erate a decent living;

l The right of every “businessman, large and small,” to trade free from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad; l The right of every family to a decent home; l The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health; l The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment; and l The right to a good education. Perspectives on Fundamental Rights American leadership presented these rights to Congress over 80 years ago. They continue to resonate and spark discussion today, which is why the YLS Journal co-editors believe that this, and other articles in this issue, should be shared with our contemporaries. Whether for contemplation, discussion, or some other pur pose, we hope readers find this issue especially informative and enlightening. Perhaps we’ll also reflect upon our own perspectives on fundamental rights, and once again find that we share more similarities than differences.

Roosevelt’s Economic Bill of Rights

In his 1944 State of the Union speech, Roosevelt presented his Economic Bill of Rights. In it, he admonished Congress

that regardless of the overall standard of living, we “cannot be content... if some fraction of our people... is ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed, and insecure.” He recognized that our nation had grown “under the pro tection of certain unalienable rights” such as “free speech, free press, free worship, trial by jury, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures.” However, he noted, “true individual free dom 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.” Thus, Roosevelt proposed “a second Bill of Rights” to estab lish “security and prosperity” for all, noting that “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.” He enumerated the following rights, paraphrased (in some cases) as follows:

Actuarial Pension Valuations • All Illinois Public Retirement Plans • Private Plans • Military and Federal (CSRS/FERS) • Non-Qualified Plans • Survivor Benefits • QILDRO Income Stream Estimates

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