Barack Obama's Plan for Universal Voluntary or Compulsory Public Service?

[BNaylor]

Compulsory universal service? Sounds like a civilian draft to me.

Don't they realize that social engineering doesn't work in this country.

Source: Dallas Examiner

Obama's chief of staff choice favors compulsory universal service

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. They'll be asked to report for three months of basic civil defense training in their state or community, where they will learn what to do in the event of biochemical, nuclear or conventional attack; how to assist others in an evacuation; how to respond when a levee breaks or we're hit by a natural disaster. These young people will be available to address their communities' most pressing needs."

http://www.examiner.com/x-536-Civil-...versal-service

The big question is will it be voluntary or compulsory. On the 50 hour middle and high school part there is talk about schools losing Federal funds if the "pie in the sky" program is not implemented. I'm glad I didn't vote for them.


From Obama's own web site:

Integrate Service into Learning

* Expand Service-Learning in Our Nation's Schools: Obama and Biden will set a goal that all middle and high school students do 50 hours of community service a year. They will develop national guidelines for service- learning and will give schools better tools both to develop programs and to document student experience. Green Job Corps: Obama and Biden will create an energy-focused youth jobs program to provide disadvantaged youth with service opportunities weatherizing buildings and getting practical experience in fast-growing career fields.

* Expand YouthBuild Program: Obama and Biden will expand the YouthBuild program, which gives disadvantaged young people the chance to complete their high school education, learn valuable skills and build affordable housing in their communities. They will grow the program so that 50,000 low-income young people a year a chance to learn construction job skills and complete high school.

* Require 100 Hours of Service in College: Obama and Biden will establish a new American Opportunity Tax Credit that is worth $4,000 a year in exchange for 100 hours of public service a year.

* Promote College Serve-Study: Obama and Biden will ensure that at least 25 percent of College Work-Study funds are used to support public service opportunities instead of jobs in dining halls and libraries.

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/service/

opcorn:

[VR43000GT]

50 hours a year community service middle school through high school? *sigh* Why exactly are we forcing people to expand their resumes? I know of many cases where people have gotten in trouble with the police and weren't even given 50 hours of community service. Now on top of those who have after school jobs and school during the day have to go out and log 50 more hours in community service? I would be quite upset if I were still in high school or younger. Yay! More money going to college students who do some community work and get paid $40/hour to do so by the tax payers. These are all things I am looking forward to!

[03cavPA]

Hey, this was all over numerous blogs before the election, and they were dismissed as crackpots.

Better keep a close eye on this one, unless it's already too late. Imagine recruiting a civilian security force from the underprivileged and giving them police powers. And then they get a chance to "get even" with those who have achieved what they have through hard work rather than welfare.

The question is not, "how paranoid are you"; it's "are you paranoid enough"?

http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/...nal_secur.html

.................
Senator Obama was nearly 17 minutes into his July 2 speech (yet another one where naming Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was required) in Colorado Springs, Colorado when he deviated from his pre-released script and performed without the teleprompter net saying,

"We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded." (emphasis added)


The immediate context for that amazing statement was a preview of parts of his plan to vastly expand community service opportunities for Americans of nearly all ages. He said,

"People of all ages, stations, and skills will be asked to serve."
.....................

Asked, or forced?

Bob, it doesn't matter if we voted for him, that shit's going down anyway.

On the face of it, one can't really argue that community service for young folks is a bad idea. I've often said that 2 years compulsory military service right out of high school might not necessarily be a bad thing.

But, we all know what happens to most "well-intended" gov't. programs, and BO's motives are always suspect, IMO..

[Nicole8188]

I would do it. It's really not that much time. The average teenager spends about 45 hours a week in front of the tv or the computer. 50 hours a year? Nothing...

And I think the 100 hr for $4,000 a year service in college is a really cool idea, too. I would for sure do that. Would save me a lot in student loans.

[HotZ28]

Originally Posted by Nicole8188

I would do it. It's really not that much time. The average teenager spends about 45 hours a week in front of the tv or the computer. 50 hours a year? Nothing...

And I think the 100 hr for $4,000 a year service in college is a really cool idea, too. I would for sure do that. Would save me a lot in student loans.

I think you totally missed the point, as well as the fine print of this program. This is not a payment for service, it is a tax credit, either for you, (if you have income) or your parents who pay your tuition. That means (by today's IRS rules) whoever gets the tax credit actually gets $1.00 for every $3.00 claimed, or $1333.33 credit for 4K & 100 hrs of service. This is not another freebie loan & the final details of the "tax credit" have not been published by the IRS!

Obama and Biden will establish a new American Opportunity Tax Credit that is worth $4,000 a year in exchange for 100 hours of public service a year.

In order to qualify for a tax credit, you have to have income, or pay taxes! Your student loans may be considered income by some lending institutions, but not the IRS. Do you claim your student loans as income & pay taxes on your loans? I don’t think so!

This program is nothing new, in fact it sounds like a remake of the Clinton agenda to me. Many high schools and universities are already clinging to the “Public Service Agenda”. The University of Arkansas has a “Clinton School of Public Service".
http://www.clintonschool.uasys.edu/

[ericn1300]

Originally Posted by BNaylor

Don't they realize that social engineering doesn't work in this country.

Now you hit on one of my big bugaboo's. Worth repeating "Don't they realize that social engineering doesn't work"

Social Engineering is futile, unless you want to be assimilated. We are not Borgs.

[Nicole8188]

Yeah, but I work. I pay taxes and have an income.

[03cavPA]

QFT

Originally Posted by ericn1300

Now you hit on one of my big bugaboo's. Worth repeating "Don't they realize that social engineering doesn't work"

Social Engineering is futile, unless you want to be assimilated. We are not Borgs.

Well, WE know that, but the 52% of our countrymen that voted for him still think it's possible, and they're going to let him try it again. Never mind that it won't work, it will be tried again and again because it sounds so good and so noble. How can anyone argue against "for the good of the 'nation' and the welfare of the people"?

We're just too cynical out here in the real world.

[YogsVR4]

YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED

Lefties are always happy requiring other people to do things for the state.

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by 03cavPA

Bob, it doesn't matter if we voted for him, that shit's going down anyway.

On the face of it, one can't really argue that community service for young folks is a bad idea. I've often said that 2 years compulsory military service right out of high school might not necessarily be a bad thing.

The stuff will only go down if Congress supports it and there is funding for it Doug. Actually community service or any public service to include military is acceptable to me. I just don't believe it should be compulsory supported by the taxpayer. All my 4 kids had at least 100 hours of some sort of community service of the humanitarian variety when they graduated high school but no one put a gun to their heads or made them slaves to the government against their own free will in violation of the 13th Amendment.

As far as compulsory military service in the U.S. again forget for now. For one not everyone qualifies for military service or is suited for service. Any moron regardless of age can do humanitarian related community service under the proposed plans which for now are simply "pie in the sky".

[03cavPA]

Originally Posted by BNaylor

The stuff will only go down if Congress supports it and there is funding for it Doug.

Agree, I wasn't trying to give ya a hard time. I just wonder how much of it Congress will actually go along with. I don't know how many times we have to watch the kum-ba-ya crowd go through this to see it's not as easy as they make it out to be.

Yeah, both my kids know what it's like to serve the people in our community. It didn't kill either of them, but I would hate to see it become compulsory. Like Yogs said, the libs are really good at telling other people how they should get involved, usually at someone else's expense.

Hopefully, Barry O seems to be finding out that it's easier to get things done closer to the center of the political spectrum. Reality has a way of doing that.

[VR43000GT]

This is one of the reasons I don't think I will ever be able to support most liberal ideologies. Whatever happend to people doing things themselves? Instead it goes now that you are working and making money you shall give part of that to those who are either less fortunate or trying to get to where you are. Why? My parents could easily pay for my college tuition but they don't pay a dime for it because they expect me to get a sense of what working for something is. And even being in college, I don't expect people like Bob or anybody else who is now working to put forth part of their paycheck to pay for up to $4,000 a year of my college funding. The people working for their money deserve it...not college kids like me. And Nicole, once agian, yeah $4,000 a year sounds nice to us but it's like the free ice cream story that was presented to us befofre...it's got to come from somewhere. And it will come from tax payers whom many of them paid for all their college on their own...straight up, let us work for what we have and then keep it. It's almost like meshing a deomcracy into a weaker blend of communism trying to spread wealth and keep it "even."

[Nicole8188]

Dude, I'm a taxpayer so I don't care. They can take my taxes and give it back to me. And sometimes I think things like volunteering should be compulsory because then maybe some fat little stoners will have to get off their asses and do something. Seriously, I had a good time in school. I did what I wanted but I also volunteered and got good grades and got scholarships and worked through high school and college because my parents DON'T have the money to pay for it.

I'm sick of lazy ass teenagers who don't do shit and just get everything handed to them. I'm not a socialist/communist by any means, but making kids get out more shouldn't be a bad thing. I don't understand the big deal.

Side note - Compulsory military service isn't just about fighting wars. It teaches people a multitude of things like personal hygiene, how to follow orders and directions, and how to work as part of a team. I'm not completely against it.

[03cavPA]

Originally Posted by Nicole8188

I don't understand the big deal.

Side note - Compulsory military service isn't just about fighting wars. It teaches people a multitude of things like personal hygiene, how to follow orders and directions, and how to work as part of a team. I'm not completely against it.

I can appreciate where you're coming from, but the problem lies with implementation and true intent when it comes to liberal ideology and the programs they come up with.

As for military training; I've always said that civilians piss me off. Follow directions? Hell, they can't even be bothered to read them, much less follow them. I'd love to see a lot of those candy asses go through a short course on Parris Island.

[VR43000GT]

I agree, I don't like lazy people but that is your and my opinions. Does that give us a right to force them to get up and do scheduled programs? Not at all in my eyes. This country is about freedom. If you are a lazy "stoner" then you probably won't ammount to much anyway....however, that is your choice to be lazy. That would be like me saying, "I can't stand computer people who drive SUV's because they are gas hogs. Therefore let's make them all attend an evrionmental awareness 2 week course and give them some community service for a while."

I agree, community service is a great thing to do. It is also something I have participated in since I was a kid from walking and taking care of animals at the humane society, to coaching soccer games, to working at food kitchen for the homeless. That is something I took the initiative to do. However, I wasn't forced to nor should I have. Ending, I would still like to say that these are horrible ideas that take away from others who not only do not deserve to pay it, but didn't recieve it when they were in school either. America is about having freedom to do what you want to with your life...not forcing people to live their lives a certain way.