chief of staff choice favors compulsory universal service

[katty]

more:

http://www.examiner.com/x-536-Civil-Liberties-Examiner~y2008m11d6-Obamas-chief-of-staff-choice-favors-compulsory-universal-service

Obama's chief of staff choice favors compulsory universal service
3 comments November 6, 10:03 AM
by J.D. Tuccille, Civil Liberties Examiner

Rep. Rahm Emanuel wants to force people 18 to 25
to labor for the government.Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, President-Elect Barack Obama's choice for chief of staff in his incoming administration, is co-author of a book, The Plan: Big Ideas for America, that calls for, among other things, compulsory service for all Americans ages 18 to 25.

The following excerpt is from pages 61-62 of the 2006 book:

It's time for a real Patriot Act that brings out the patriot in all of us. We propose universal civilian service for every young American. Under this plan, All Americans between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five will be asked to serve their country by going through three months of basic training, civil defense preparation and community service. ...

Here's how it would work. Young people will know that between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, the nation will enlist them for three months of civilian service.

[glowing]

1. Nothing wrong with that.. as long as it isn't compulsory service to fight in wars.

I think it would help broaden American's horizons to realize that they aren't the only one's that inhbit this world.

[Juche]

2. I support compulsory service for all Jewish politicians in their 40s

Just saying.

[Pithy]

9. :: snorty laugh ::

[Chorophyll]

24. Um. Only the Jewish ones? nt

[tavalon]

55. In other words, for Rahm.

I wouldn't have necessarily thought him in his 40s but I knew he was Jewish and I just inferred that was what was being said.

[Chorophyll]

59. Yes, I understand that, but choosing that particular adjective

sounded kind of shitty. Replace "Jewish" with "Gay" or "Black" and see how it sounds then.

[tavalon]

62. Yeah, they probably should have used dickhead or DINO

[endthewar]

109. ...

:eyes:

[formercia]

63. Mandatory national service is not a good idea.

It might work for some but really screw up others. A lot of people cannot function in a regimented environment.

[NashVegas]

74. Who Are Former Ballet Dancers

Wow, someone scrubbed that from his Wiki page. How droll.

[Indenturedebtor]

103. I support that you consider your place in society

We all have to contribute. A couple of months that could be used as job experience, and would make a massive contribution to society would be a good thing. Consider that most people 26 and up spend about 30% of their year working to pay taxes... I would much rather spend that time building houses for poor people.

There are many wonderful Democratic societies that have compulsory service.

Why you specifically criticize him because he's Jewish I don't understand? Do you hate Jewish people? Are you trying to imply that this is some sort of "oppression of the young"?

By the way your name sounds like a feminine hygiene product. Just saying.

[Greybnk48]

3. I think it's a great idea. I would have liked to do that.

As long as it's not military.

[JerseygirlCT]

5. I agree.

So long as it doesn't have to involve the military, I think it could be an excellent idea.

[Ms. Toad]

17. As this has been drafted in the past,

basic training and civil defense MEAN military training.

[yodoobo]

46. They'll be the 3rd ones into future war zones

right behind the armed forces and national guard.

Future war presidents will love it too

[Juche]

4. Why is it always young people

If you are doing compulsory service, force everyone to do it. Not just young people.

[JerseygirlCT]

6. Because they are usually physically more able.

Because they usually don't have family and other responsibilities that would make it difficult or impossible to do do it.

Because something like this would be a life-changing learning experience and color the type of citizen they would then be from that point forward.

[Chulanowa]

65. Because the people writing the ideas up aren't young

[Art_from_Ark]

93. Exactly

The ones who are most in favor of compulsory service/involuntary servitude are almost always the ones who would be exempt from it.

[OhioChick]

8. I agree. n/t

[yodoobo]

47. Because they don't vote as often

And few politicians who make these laws are in that age range.

[dysfunctional press]

86. the idea is that EVERYONE would do it- when they are young and generally more able-bodied...

and usually before they've started a career or have developed familial obligations.

[pitohui]

7. for three months? not a big deal and the emergency training could be most useful

he says 3 months to include basic training & civil defense prep -- i would hope this would include prep for the common natural disasters such as hurricane, fire, etc.


this could be valuable experience for everyone and something i would envy the younger person a chance to learn

however, much longer than the 3 months proposed and you start talking about "community service," well we need to be sure that these kids performing community service weren't taking away people's jobs

for instance in our parish years ago when we started using prisoners to perform "community service" of maintaining and landscaping some of the streets for free, yeah, it helped the city budget BUT-- it cost the contractor who used to do the work a six figure contract and resulted in the lay off of his employees

[Baldameer]

10. I think they could help the United Way, Habitat for Humanity and National Parks.

It would be like Summer Camp only they would actually be doing something and I'd bet the kids could earn a little money for College upon completion.

[onethatcares]

11. nothng wrong with that, in fact the idea of a Federal Employment

Management Agency would serve a purpose. Like infrastructure rehabilitation. Three months does not seem like a long enough time to even get ones' feet wet.

The conscripts could be trained in any number of things related to emergency management.

Kinda like the Peace Corp or Vista, with a paycheck.

I've been thinking along those kind of lines for a bit here. How's it sound to you folks?

[Greyhound]

12. Interesting since he never served his country's military.

I don't think compulsory service is a good idea at all, but find it especially galling when those who didn't start talking about forcing others to do so.

WTF makes these people believe legislated slavery is always such a good idea when it is others they want to send?

[OhioChick]

26. Valid points.

I also wonder how many people on this thread that believe this is a good idea are between the ages specified.

[Greyhound]

42. Back at ya, I'm guessing none. n/t

[riverdeep]

13. In Israel, everyone has to serve in the military. Everyone.

Men and women. My guess is that kind of influences Emanuel's thinking a bit about service in general. Obama has been pretty consistent in asking for youth to do something. Making it mandatory puts another spin on it in a lot of people's eyes. My guess is that Obama will tie service to his college aid program.

[Behind the Aegis]

22. That is not true.

There are exceptions, so not everyone serves in the military.

[riverdeep]

34. So I see.

Religious exceptions, Arab Israelis, mentally ill, physically lacking, married and pregnant women and some others. But overall, most people wind up serving.

[Fuzz]

14. Obama sets the policy, Emanuel pushes it.

[KoKo]

60. Didn't Rahm serve in Isreali Military? He has Dual Citizenship?

Obama says he wants "service." Rahm has experience with that...so what's the problem? :shrug:

[Ms. Toad]

15. This poses a problem for people with conscientious

objection to war. The basic training and civil defense preparation are preparation for war. My religion (and that of many traditional peace churches) prohibits participating not only in war but also in the preparation for war.

[Behind the Aegis]

20. Not really.

Though nothing has been established, exceptions are likely to be made. Also, basic training and civil defense preparation can be more than military. As some suggested above, it could also include response to natural (and unnatural) disasters.

[Ms. Toad]

29. The most recent bills

(this has been proposed several times recently) were very specific that the basic military training was mandatory for everyone.

The current selective service registration does not have an exception for conscientious objection.

Our country does not have a history of accommodating conscientious objection until people to whom it is important make large sacrifices. In the past, it meant going to jail to avoid military service, whic eventually led to establishing an option of conscientious objection was established. Currently, it requires conscientious objectors to forego any scholarship aid.

I have no problem with mandatory service, but putting the parameters of what constitutes preparation for war (which includes both selective service registration and basic military training) up to to the congressional vote has not gone well in the past.

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. Such as clearing roads

or working with at risk youth

That is a component of civilian service

[Ms. Toad]

30. The issue is not the service

the issue is the pre-service mandatory military training for everyone (which has been a component of every similar bill introduced in the last 10 years).

[aquart]

27. Conscientious objectors served loyally and well.

They weren't objecting because they were too lazy to get off their asses and help.

<http://www.quaker.org/tqe/2004/TQE096-EN-Objector.html>

<http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=conscientious+objector+wwii&aq=10&oq=conscientious+objector>

<http://www.google.com/search?q=conscientious+objector+&btnG=Search&hl=en&sa=2>

[Ms. Toad]

31. Agreed, but all recent proposals required

military basic training as a component of the mandatory service.

[ogneopasno]

16. I love this idea and hope we can do something like this.

nt

[aquart]

18. Three months??? See, I'm thinking 18 months.

Rahm is thinking too small.

[TahitiNut]

37. Agreed ... but it's a start.

:shrug:

[Recursion]

19. I love the idea, personally NT

[lunatica]

21. But American youth need to get something in return (shouldn't be compulsory either)

I believe I heard Obama say something about young people who do volunteer community work would get help with college.

[GreenPartyVoter]

39. Yeah, trade for college might be ok. I have no idea how my kids will pay for college but

the G.I. Bill is not a road I want them to take.

[GinaMaria]

61. How about ... this is the cost or repayment

for college assistance? depending on the degree earned, that could be the type of service you give? This way people are also gaining experience in their chosen fields. Heck if I could go 3 months without pay, I would volunteer my time.

[Indenturedebtor]

104. They will... just like I get roads and bridges for my taxes

Though I'm all in for Obama's proposal, I wouldnt have minded at all to teach illiterate people to read, or to build houses for the poor. I'm only 29. That age range I could have fit in a few months to learn useful skills and serve humanity.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

23. Well then good thing he's being marginalized.

[trashcanistanista]

28. Or else what? What if they don't want to do service.?

Do they go to jail? Develop a service option and make it voluntary. Not everyone could or should do service.

[TahitiNut]

40. There are quite a few ways to penalize evaders short of jail time.

For example, a license to drive a motor vehicle is a privilege, not a right. Refusal to server could result in the denial of a Driver's license. Or they could be denied any eligibility for employment in the federal government or its contractors. Or they could be denied a passport. (They could leave but not reenter the U.S.)

None of the above would abrogate 'rights' ... merely privileges or entitlements.

[RamboLiberal]

32. Check this out on Obama's new Change.gov website

America Serves

"When you choose to serve -- whether it's your nation, your community or simply your neighborhood -- you are connected to that fundamental American ideal that we want life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness not just for ourselves, but for all Americans. That's why it's called the American dream."

The Obama Administration will call on Americans to serve in order to meet the nation’s challenges. President-Elect Obama will expand national service programs like AmeriCorps and Peace Corps and will create a new Classroom Corps to help teachers in underserved schools, as well as a new Health Corps, Clean Energy Corps, and Veterans Corps. Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by developing a plan to require 50 hours of community service in middle school and high school and 100 hours of community service in college every year. Obama will encourage retiring Americans to serve by improving programs available for individuals over age 55, while at the same time promoting youth programs such as Youth Build and Head Start.

http://www.change.gov/americaserves/

Do they need to take the required out? I can see Freepers heads exploding over this one.

[Azlady]

33. Something like the Peace Corp, I really like this idea. n/t

[achtung_circus]

53. I was about to say

has no one ever heard of the Peace Corps??

[Pastiche423]

35. Compulsory?

What happened to Freedom?

[TahitiNut]

41. Sounds like the lament of an adolescent compelled to attend school.

Or a whacked out libertarian compelled to pay income taxes.

:eyes:

[Pastiche423]

54. WTF does what I said have to do w/taxes?

Or school for that matter.

[Wednesdays]

79. Sounds like what FDR's critics said about the New Deal, too

OMG, Communism! :sarcasm:

[Thothmes]

48. And the Constitution

Involuntary servitude?

[Pastiche423]

57. That's the way I see it

[cherokeeprogressive]

73. How about a lifetime tax incentive for those who choose to serve?

Say, a checkbox on their tax return that gives them a tax credit for serving the community. For the rest of their lives. Maybe it should be on a sliding scale determined by how long they performed said community service.

Your choice. Serve the community or not. I think that's fair.

[Pastiche423]

76. Choice is the operative word

[TahitiNut]

36. I've supported this for my entire adult life. Absolutely ... everyone.

Male, female, straight, gay ... everyone.

[jobendorfer]

51. Great.

There's a number of countries with universal conscription. Israel. Russia. France. Maybe Italy. That's just off the top of my head, there are probably others. Perhaps you would be happier there?

TahitiNut, it's nothing personal. I've just had it up to my eyeballs with every single man (or woman) jack who's convinced in his or her heart of hearts that they absolutely know what my step-kids ... or my neighbor's kids ... or kids that I don't even know ... "need" to become "better" citizens. I don't buy that kind of thinking from fundamentalists (of whatever stripe), from marxists, do-gooding social crusaders, self-described patriots, or anyone else.

I've tried to instill a sense of gemeinschaftsgefuhl in my step-kids. Hopefully some of that took, and someday, when they're ready, they'll find some way to help the lot of their fellows. Maybe they won't. Only time will tell. But dammit, when or if that day comes, I want the fact of their service and the method of their service to be their choice, and not yours, and not anybody else's. I'm funny that way.

(And the absolute last goddamned thing I want to do, in this era of "Unitary Executives" and a spineless Congress, is hand the government *another* ready-made million-person force.)

J.

[TahitiNut]

81. I might someday return the "invitation" to you. Who knows?

Switzerland -- All able-bodied male Swiss citizens are conscripted to the armed forces until the age of 30. In practice, persons who become Swiss citizens after the age of 25 are rarely summoned and instead pay a 3% additional annual income tax. For women the service is voluntary.

I'm opposed to the gender discrimination but otherwise favor the basics of their system, with the additional proviso of alternative forms of national service.


As a draftee and Viet Nam veteran, I'm quite familiar with ALL the arguments. I remain steadfast in my preference for an active, engaged, and involved body politic where "we the people" actually act like the sovereigns over our own self-governance a democracy requires. That includes questions of war. As long as we regard government as "other" and insist upon economic (or propagandistic) coercion of "others" into service, and sneeringly sit back and regard "them" as ignorant, fools, incompetent, and/or war criminals, we pave the way toward the loss of more and more of our liberties. That would be just, of course, since we wouldn't deserve a democracy.

[jobendorfer]

91. I have no problem with ...

... an active, engaged, and involved body politic.
Nor do I intend to disparage anyone who honorably serves this country. Your service in the Vietnam war took profound courage, and that fact deserves (and gets) my respect.

If your argument is a) every citizen should be involved in the decision to go to war, and b) a "yes" vote = signing up to fight, then I agree, this country would fight far less wars. In that context, I can envision scenarios in which I would vote yes -- and go fight. And many where I would vote "no" (I have no interest in serving Chevron's interests, for example.)

I fail to understand however, how mandating civil or military service would make "better", more informed, or more active voters and citizens. Nor how a volunteer Army leads to the loss of liberties. (I ascribe the destruction of the bill of rights and the expansion of police powers to the exploitation of fear by politicians.)

Nor how we would pay for a truly universal system of service in *this* country. One should consider that the number of 18 to 25 year olds in this country is three times the *entire* population of Switzerland (7.6 million) ... or Israel (7.2 million).

I don't have an answer for our current malaise -- by which I mean the large-scale disinvolvement in political matters. I honestly don't know what will wake people up. I know what woke me up: it was watching men and women wandering through the streets of downtown Portland, with all the fallout of schizophrenia. That's when I realized that effective help for those folks had a political dimension. I was 29. I suspect that any truly effective awakening of social or community interest comes in its own time, in its own way, and differently for everyone ... and for some, it never happens. I am quite certain a conscription experience is neither necessary, or for that matter, sufficient. I also believe that the first step on the road to Hell starts when I decide that I know what other people's path of psychological growth needs to be. ( As a therapist, my job was to help people get "unstuck" on *their* path ... and not to impose mine. )

That said, I suspect we'll have to just disagree.

Sorry if I came across too hard-ass. As you have probably detected, these matters weigh closely upon my soul.

J.

[Art_from_Ark]

95. Nice posts

I am currently living in a country (Japan) which has no universal service policy but which seems to be doing pretty well nonetheless. There is an all-volunteer military as well, but it does not seem to have eroded any liberties. And modern Japan's period of universal service was back in the bad old days when the military played an excessively large role in the government.

[GreenPartyVoter]

38. As long as they are not pushed into the military.....

[jobendorfer]

43. Swear to God, is there ANYONE left in politics who can THINK?

If kids want to volunteer their time a la VISTA or the Peace Corps, more power to them. *Volunteering* is great. Done it myself, three years, part time, in the trenches, at a community mental health clinic.

But a three-month mandatory service period for every 18 to 25 year old?

First: there are at least twenty million kids in that age bracket at any given time. So you're talking about a HUGE program. Even if just 5 percent of those kids are in service at any given time, where's the budget going to come from to pay, shelter, feed, insure, train, and supervise a cadre of conscripts that rivals the size of the Army?

Second: What are the conscripts going to learn and usefully apply in three months' time ( approximately one college quarter ) (Short answer: your country considers you to be exploitable cheap labor ... get used to it. )

And why is it that this is always shoved off on the 18 to 25 year olds?
What would your reaction be, if you got a letter in the mail, that says you, wherever you are, whatever you are doing, in whatever state of health you're in, are legally compelled to take on a 3-month job at minimum wage pay, wherever the people running it decide you should go?

When is the insanity going to stop? For crying out loud, we just shuffle one asshat out of the seat of power, his replacement's first move is to hire a guy who thinks drafting a half million kids at a shot is just what the country needs. I hope to god this loon doesn't get within 10 miles of the policy making at the Obama white house.

Maybe we should start requiring mental status exams for political office holders. Or a test of some kind. Explain the difference between type I and type II errors in a hypothesis test. Solve a differential equation. Explain why "Reunite Gondwanaland" is a nonsensical cause. ANYTHING that shows you can think beyond a sound bite.

J.

[Hannah Bell]

110. exploitable cheap labor >> in an economic downturn, too. interesting.

[Mind_your_head]

44. Mandatory volunteerism???

:wtf: Oxymoronic at best or just more :crazy: ?

Volunteering could be a WONDERFUL THING for this country, as long as it's not 'mandatory' - that's NOT 'volunteering'.

[yodoobo]

45. This sounds great until you consider that they'll fight wars too

Once this huge civil force is in place, any future administration will have a nice ready force which they can quickly and easily "redirect" to their favorite war zone.

Young people should perform civic service, but conscription is not the way to do it.

[tabasco]

49. It's a great idea.

If you disagree, that's your right.

[Jed Dilligan]

50. Basic training?

Really?

Do we really want more 18-25 year olds combat ready than we already have?

[SoxFan]

52. It's a good idea

[spanone]

56. chief of staff

Chiefs of staff typically have no personal or positional power of their own, acting only on behalf and with the authority of their superior.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_of_Staff

[girl gone mad]

108. ..

http://www.change.gov/americaserves/

"The Obama Administration will call on Americans to serve in order to meet the nation’s challenges. President-Elect Obama will expand national service programs like AmeriCorps and Peace Corps and will create a new Classroom Corps to help teachers in underserved schools, as well as a new Health Corps, Clean Energy Corps, and Veterans Corps. Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by developing a plan to require 50 hours of community service in middle school and high school and 100 hours of community service in college every year. Obama will encourage retiring Americans to serve by improving programs available for individuals over age 55, while at the same time promoting youth programs such as Youth Build and Head Start."

[The Craw]

58. If one can be a teacher, or help others, then i'm all for it....

If I can do it as a teacher, I'm all for it....

[Mind_your_head]

64. If you don't mind me asking, what do you teach?

(or which grades do you teach?)

[The Craw]

69. High School, Special Education

I work as a Special Ed teacher, and work with inner city high schoolers with learning disabilities

[Mari333]

66. nothing like a little fascist social engineering, ehRahm?

There is no way he would get away with that. I am surprised to see so many think it is a good idea. Its no different then forcing kids to say the Pledge of Allegiance when they dont want to.
I kind of hoped people on the left were more supportive of individual liberties.

[Mind_your_head]

67. Bingo! Thank you for saying this!

:thumbsup:

[Canuckistanian]

75. Would you call Switzerland a "fascist country"?

Because Switzerland has had compulsory military service since the 19th century.

And as far as I know, nobody's ever accused the Swiss of being even remotely fascist. They were even neutral in WWII.

[Mari333]

77. and if someone in switzerland decides to opt out of compulsory service?

do they throw them in prison or recognize their right not to participate. if they throw them in prison, then its a fascist law.

[TahitiNut]

89. Then they pay an extra 3% income tax for the rest of their lives.

:shrug:

[Canuckistanian]

115. Now that's what I call "Fascism"

:D

[old mark]

68. So do I. nt

[Mind_your_head]

70. Well than sign up VOLUNTARILY old mark......We need you!

There are plenty of soup kitchens, homeless shelters, schools, hospices, hospitals that needed you already. You contribute already I would presume!

[Hannah Bell]

111. or maybe we could just spend the $ on a guaranteed income, or

guaranteed housing or guaranteed jobs & skip the soup kitchens & homeless shelters.

i don't see the point of using tax $ to pay kids to serve soup to the homeless.

[old mark]

112. I contributed 3 years in the army during a war. I worked in

several drug addiction teatment centers and mental retardation and mental health organizations, including several years spent working with forensic patients, so I guess the answer is yes.
I don't see anything wrong with people who have more than most other inhabitants of the earth taking a little time to give something back to people who really need assistance. It may end up doing some good to the volunteer as well - it usually does.

mark

[fascisthunter]

71. yes... especially now, since we need more bodies in Iraq and Afghanistan

funny how people like Rahm who live up on Mount Olympus are never effected by their own ideas for policy.

[defendandprotect]

100. How about 25 to 30 year olds ...???

[Vickers]

72. I would've HATED having someone next to me in the military that

didn't want to be there.


I mean, *originally*.

:P

[jobendorfer]

78. If you like this idea ...

... then sign up and more power to you!

Just leave my kids, your kids, and everybody else's kids the hell alone!

In truth, I hope every everyone feels called to serve their community in some capacity ... the capacity *OF THEIR CHOICE.*
That would be a beautiful thing.

But sweet Jesus! Is this Democratic Underground, or have I fallen ass-over-teakettle into some rabbit-hole-alternate-universe of cane-waving draft-mad Senexes?

J.

[IsItJustMe]

96. Exactly what I was thinking. Sheep being let to the slaughter. Look how easy it is.

[IsItJustMe]

97. I support compulsory service for all the people that think this is a good idea.

[galileoreloaded]

113. the smoke and fog of ideology is starting to lift and reveal political reality

and people are starting to realize that the more things change, the more they stay the same. And the only real defense to realizing you might not have been told the whole truth, is to rationalize the new reality so you don't throw your self down a stairwell.

There is but one truth, and that is only 5% +/- of all people are hardwired to honesty. The rest will break your heart, given the proper motivation and situation.

[jobendorfer]

114. Well said.

I think your second statement is very insightful. In my own case, though, I'd like to think that I don't have a lot of illusions about what Obama, or Emanuel, or anyone else in the new administration is likely to do, in policy terms.

However, I apparently had different expectations of the people here, which are obviously not grounded in reality. That's something for me to think about, and I will do so. (Please consider my more vitriolic statements as evidence that I *care*; the more reasoned ones speak for themselves.)

I do hope that you're wrong about sentences one, three, and four, though. :-)

J.

[bridgit]

80. Israel requires it, other countries do; having people able to give CPR would be helpful

till EMT arrives, set tourniquets', direct traffic in believable responsible ways. Kerry served, Jim Webb served, Randi Rhodes served. State-side, people could serve the nation as public safety, food, building inspectors, etc; civil engineers, fire fighters. There's plenty of ways to enhance the value of American life without wearing khakis into a war zone fighting 'compulsory' wars for corporate entities in fact I would rule that out.

Certification would be key. My concern would be our litigious society. My husband lost a nephew in Africa building wells & roads for hard to reach villages while in the Peace Corps. He wasn't even in a war zone, just passed in the course of what he wanted to do: provide his thought of a national service to the world.

[Mari333]

82. then give people the option to volunteer

but to force it on anyone? no way.

[bridgit]

84. Sadly, most Americans given the option to volunteer would opt out of even...

ladling hot soup to the homeless in soup kitchens :( Maybe a deferment of some kind: student, hardship, head of household, only child, care provider, gotta get crops in/plow the back 40, fix my grandma's car, better things to do. I see different ways it could/should be set up, don't think it would be helpful making people sit there just rolling their eyes through the curricula I do agree with that :thumbsup:

[cherokeeprogressive]

83. Take away the compulsion and add incentive.

Three years of community service in exchange for a lifetime tax credit and a paid college education. No military component.

[Mnemosyne]

85. Thank you for a most reasonable solution, cp. n/t

[mwooldri]

87. 3 months may not be long enough.

Some kind of service sounds good to me... but I have a better idea.

1 year of voluntary community service, which can include 1 year in the military, and get a 2 year scholarship at the school of your choice. Which means if you pick a community college you could come out with an Associates degree with no cost to you. Community service starts in the summer you graduate High school.

To further encourage community service, mandate that all degree courses have to offer 6 semester-hours of "community service type courses", and that the year of voluntary community service would count as these 6 semester-hours. People who don't take the year of voluntary community service could take "community service" courses at their college in X-semester hour intervals (I would envisage a graduate would need to take 2 classes - each class would be 3 semester hours) but wouldn't get the 2 year scholarship.

But what about those people who do not want to go to college? Simple... offer alternative payouts: a downpayment on a house, a contribution to a Roth IRA account, heck support Detroit and give out new cars! Wouldn't be luxury ones or anything like that, but volunteer for a year and get a new base model Ford Focus? Well maybe a new car is too much... but certainly a big incentive to do some form of community service may be in order.

Mark.

[Sanctified]

88. No thanks I am against government mandated slavery.

If this shit goes through I will be the first to burn my kids slavery cards and send them to Canada.

[Baldameer]

90. "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!"

Seeing how most teenagers these days are probably holed up in the basement with an xbox 360, barely seeing the outside. I think a little community service/volunteerism would do wonders for most.


I served 4yrs in the US NAVY right out of High School and I learned alot from that experience.

[Sanctified]

92. Congrats on your volutary service.

However there is a huge difference between volunteering for a job and being forced to do one. And I would never support a system that would force Americas youth to serve warmongers who would have those kids driving trucks in Iraq.

[IsItJustMe]

94. I think it could be a really bad idea for a whole lot of reasons.

Our Military seems to turn out large numbers of people who end up voting Republican.

[yodoobo]

98. How about that YOUTH VOTE next time around?

Pass this, and I betcha we'll have an even better youth turnout in 2012, although the results might be a tad different....

[cardFan123]

102. two comments

First, I think we would need compulsory high school graduation first. Way too many people do not graduate high school, and I think this should probably be fixed first.

Second, it would need to be expanded beyond just military service so that people have choices. Not everybody is able to do military service. Some people just aren't cut out for it. And like others have pointed out, 3 months is not enough. Especially if this was to include things like being teachers. Obviously, you can't be a teacher for just three months. This could possibly be a very good way to train people for jobs that do not require college. I totally feel that way too many kids these days are pushed towards college.

[defendandprotect]

99. bad idea ..and prelude to national draft return ...

[justiceischeap]

101. I've always thought voting should be compulsory as well as serving in the government

But hey, that's me. I don't think social or community service can harm the youth of our nation.

[earth mom]

105. Who's going to pay for this?

Who is going to pay to feed and house these young adults or at the very least pay to supervise them?

And also, what's the purpose? To teach them what hard work is? To teach them a lesson? I don't get it. :wtf:


You know, I don't think they've really thought this through at all. :freak:

[Occulus]

106. That's fine: I'm gay, so I'm exempt.

RIGHT???????

[Selatius]

107. I find the notion hard to deal with especially after the experience with Viet Nam.

If GWB had such a pool of manpower devoted to national service, he could've easily converted it into a military force and overrun the Middle East.