By ANN SANNER, Associated Press Writer Ann Sanner, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 6 mins ago
WASHINGTON – Calling on Americans to volunteer, President Barack Obama signed a $5.7 billion national service bill Tuesday that triples the size of the AmeriCorps service program over the next eight years and expands ways for students to earn money for college. "What this legislation does, then, is to help harness this patriotism and connect deeds to needs," said Obama, a former community organizer in Chicago.
"It creates opportunities to serve for students, seniors and everyone in between," he said. "And it is just the beginning of a sustained, collaborative and focused effort to involve our greatest resource — our citizens — in the work of remaking this nation."
Joining Obama was Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who has been battling brain cancer. Kennedy championed the legislation with Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and the bill was named in honor of the Massachusetts Democrat.
Kennedy told the audience that included former President Bill Clinton, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former first lady Rosalyn Carter that Obama's efforts echoed those of his late brother, President John F. Kennedy.
"Today, another young president has challenged another generation to give back to their nation," Kennedy said, citing his brother's advocacy for the Peace Corps.
The service law expands ways for students and seniors to earn money for college through their volunteer work. It aims to foster and fulfill people's desire to make a difference, such as by mentoring children, cleaning up parks or buildings and weatherizing homes for the poor.
"I'm asking you to help change history's course, put your shoulder up against the wheel," Obama said. "And if you do, I promise you your life will be richer, our country will be stronger, and someday, years from now, you may remember it as the moment when your own story and the American story converged, when they came together, and we met the challenges of our new century."
Bolstering voluntary public service programs has been a priority of Obama, who credits his work as a community organizer in his early 20s for giving him direction in life. The president cited his work in Chicago as an example of how one person can make a difference.
"All that's required on your part is a willingness to make a difference," Obama said. "And that is, after all, the beauty of service: Anybody can do it."
Obama visited the SEED School of Washington, a public boarding school that serves inner-city students facing problems in both the classroom and at home, for the signing ceremony.
Afterward, Obama and first lady Michelle Obama joined Clinton to plant trees at a national park site along the Anacostia River in northeast Washington. At the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, Obama rolled up his sleeves with volunteers from the Student Conservation Association and local public high schools.
"Somebody forgot my boots," Obama joked to the students.
Obama on Tuesday also nominated Nike Inc. vice president Maria Eitel to lead the federal agency that oversees the country's national service programs.
Eitel, who's also president of the Nike Foundation, would have to be confirmed by the Senate to become CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service.
Congress passed the bill last month with largely bipartisan support and Obama is seeking $1.1 billion to fund it next year. Some Republicans complain it is too costly and is an unnecessary intrusion by government into something Americans already do eagerly and in great numbers — helping their neighbors and communities.
The legislation provides for gradually increasing the size of the Clinton-era AmeriCorps to 250,000 enrollees from its current 75,000. It outlines five broad categories where people can direct their service: helping the poor, improving education, encouraging energy efficiency, strengthening access to health care and assisting veterans.
AmeriCorps offers a range of volunteer opportunities including housing construction, youth outreach, disaster response and caring for the elderly. Most receive an annual stipend of slightly less than $12,000 for working 10 months to a year.
AmeriCorps has seen a recent surge in applications, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees the program.
In March, the organization received 17,038 online AmeriCorps applications, nearly double those received in the previous month and nearly triple the 6,770 received last March.
Alan Solomont, who chairs AmeriCorps' board, said former President John F. Kennedy's call to service inspired more people to help others than just those who joined the Peace Corps. He said this national service legislation could produce the same effect.
"It is not unlike the moment in 1960 when President Kennedy asked Americans, you know, to serve, but it is certainly going to engage millions more today," Solomont said in a conference call arranged by the White House.
The bill also ties volunteer work to money for college.
People 55 and older could earn $1,000 education awards by getting involved in public service. Those awards can be transferred to a child, grandchild or even someone they mentored.
Students from sixth grade through senior year of high school could earn a $500 education award for helping in their neighborhoods during a new summer program. - associated press
Any bets on how long it will take obama to get a law passed making "volunteering" mandatory?
Geez dude do you EVER let a little light in? Everything in the world is not a giant conspiracy to make you do stuff you don't wnat to do.
What the hells wrong with helpin kids go to college in return for helpin some old lady seal up her windows or clean her gutters or paintin a playground?
I don't know where I put it but I do have the interview with Erich holder and obama (before he was elected) both saying that they wanted to make this mandatory. I will post it when I locate it.
As far as helping people, no..I don't have a problem with that, it is a good thing, so long as people have a choice in the matter. When you are forced to help, its not help, it is slavery.
Correction: interview was with Ralph Emanuel not Holder
I'm serious about this........that will NEVER happen.
oh really...
Seems to me that there is alot of propaganda says otherwise...Obama himself, says he wanted to put this through.
never happen.
So what if it did? You don't remember the draft, do you? Where if you were of the right age you had to register and be classified. That was not voluntary, but a lot of our young men volunteered before they had to be drafted. And why? Because they loved this country and wanted to preserve it no matter what the price. Today we face an entirely different situation, but still our young people need a purpose. Without purpose, they turn to the elements that will provide excitement in their dull lives. Why not provide them with a purpose while paying them to do it? You don't remember the CCC, either, do you? The Civilian Conservation Corps was set up to provide flood control, forestry and soil conservation. It ran from 1933 to 1942 when the majority of our young men were serving in the armed forces. It never became compulsory.
I wanted to put a little comment here on the draft and people volunteering before being drafted. It is true that there were those that joined up before being drafted because of their love for the country and desire to serve. BUT, for the most part people who volunteered did so because volunteering allowed them to choose the service they wanted (army, air force, navy, marines, coast guard and so on) and a better chance of getting the type of service they wanted such as a clerk or a lifeguard at the pool, etc. For those of us who were drafted, there was no choice of anything. I served with many who volunteered for the national guard which allowed them to serve for six months and attend weekend meetings and a summer camp for the next six years while I was locked in for two years. AND, lets not forget those who chose to immigrate to Canada and were later pardoned. Larryj
AmeriCorps is s a good program .I taught emergency services programs to their kids for several years. First Aid, CPR and such.
But did you volunteer knowing that you woud be sent into combat and not expecting any benefits, just hoping that you got to come home whether in one piece or missing some part of your body? Now all I hear is complaints about the country that my generation fought for in actual hand to hand combat, to keep the aggressors from fighting the battles on our soil.
I know that some left the country rather than serve in the armed forces. That wasn't while the country was actually fighting. Some people are just not cut out for military service even on a volunteer basis. Isn't our armed forces today all volunteer? They volunteer knowing what they are getting into, but still doing it. God bless them, everyone.
QuoteYou don't remember the CCC, either, do you? The Civilian Conservation Corps was set up to provide flood control, forestry and soil conservation. It ran from 1933 to 1942 when the majority of our young men were serving in the armed forces. It never became compulsory.
i remember my grandad talkin about it...I think he blasted tunnels up in washington working for them.
Quoteour young people need a purpose. Without purpose, they turn to the elements that will provide excitement in their dull lives. Why not provide them with a purpose while paying them to do it?
exactly!
QuoteWhere if you were of the right age you had to register and be classified.
both my boys had to register when they turned 18....ones fixin to turn 30 friday and the other is 28. I was thinkin they still had to for some reason.
Quote from: pam on April 22, 2009, 11:47:44 AM
Quote
QuoteWhere if you were of the right age you had to register and be classified.
both my boys had to register when they turned 18....ones fixin to turn 30 friday and the other is 28. I was thinkin they still had to for some reason.
am you are correct the Selective Service Regisration for the draft is still in effect.
Virtually all men must register with Selective Service. The exceptions to this rule are very few and include: nonimmigrant aliens on student, visitor, tourist, or diplomatic visas; men on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces; and cadets and midshipmen in the Service Academies and certain other U.S. military colleges. All other men must register upon reaching age 18 (or before age 26, if entering and taking up residence in the U.S. when already older than 18).
Disabled men, clergymen, and men who believe themselves to be conscientiously opposed to war must register because there is no draft in effect, nor is there a program to classify men at this time. Should the Congress and the President reinstate a draft, a classification program would begin. Registrants would be examined to determine suitability for military service, and they would also have ample time to claim exemptions, deferments, or postponements. To be inducted, men would have to meet the physical, mental, and administrative standards established by the military services. Local Boards would meet in every American community to determine exemptions and deferments for clergymen, ministerial students, and men who file claims for reclassification as conscientious objectors.
http://www.sss.gov/QA.HTM#quest11
David
Wasn't there just something yesterday about the military raising their standards again and refusing felons and drug addicts?
Not having any sons and only one grandson, I didn't know that young men still had to register. In a way I find this intrusive of our private lives; in another, I feel relief that it wouldn't be the big job it was in 1942 to muster the men and women to defend our country. Wait a minute, do women have to register, too?
Wilma, we had Draft Registration prior to WWI, I have my Grandfather's Draft Registration and all of his Brother's Draft Registrations, from the early 1900s.
Was there a time without draft registration because I remember young men rushing out to get registered and be inducted right after Pearl Harbor. I don't think my father registered until then as I have his card and it shows married, 4 children. He was classified 4-F. Besides the children, he had an essential job.
The Selective Service Act of 1917 (40 Stat. 76) was passed by the Congress of the United States on May 18, 1917 creating the Selective Service System.[3] The Act gave the President the power to draft men for military service. All males aged 21 to 30 were required to register for military service for a service period of 12 months; the age limit was later raised in August, 1918 to a maximum age of 45. The draft was later discontinued in 1920.
The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 was passed by the Congress of the United States on September 16, 1940, becoming the first peacetime conscription in United States history. It required all males betweent he ages of 18 to 65 to register for Selective Service. It originally conscripted all males aged 21 to 36 for a service period of 12 months, but was later increased to males aged 18 to 45 for a military service period of 18 months. Upon declaration of war, the service period was extended to last the duration of the war plus a 6-month service in the Organized Reserves. The draft was ended in 1946 and the original Act was allowed to expire in 1947 because it was thought that a sufficient number of volunteers would enlist for the nation's defense.[citation needed]
I didn't volunteer. Old Army adage---never volunteer for anything. My father-in-law did volunteer during WWII and served for four years mostly in the South Pacific. He was extremely proud of his service. At that time there was a man who wanted to take over the world and was in the process of doing just that. We fought that war to help our friends and to keep our country from being attacked. (Did you know there is a city in California that was actually attacked?) Anyway, during the time that I was in, 1966-1968, there was a war. A smaller war in that one group wanted to take over the other part of their country, that is north and south Vietnam. 55,000+ volunteers and draftees died in that war over the many years the US was involved. We weren't in much danger of being attacked but a lot of people died anyway. Benefits? My father-in-law received health care from the VA until his insurance was changed by his family because of convenience (nearest VA hospital was 45 miles away). My benefits? I really wasn't aware at that time what they were, but I used some of the education benefits, I financed my house with a VA backed loan, and when I have drawn my last breath, there will be three guys wearing a uniform at the service, one to play Taps, and two to fold the flag and give it to whomever survives me. AND. the VA will place a simple stone on my gravesite saying my name and United States Army. I really don't know if those who are serving are complaining because they weren't, and should have been, aware of what was going on in the world. Anyone else who complains----------------------------PUT UP OR SHUT UP!! Larryj
The Santa Barbara/ San Diego area was shelled, by subs I think, and there were two more attacks in Oregon. Did you see the movie 1942 with John Belushi ?
Wilma here is your answer regarding women and if they have to register with the selective service. The Selective Service System's official government website is www.sss.gov if you are interested.
Women Aren't Required to Register
Here's why:
THE LAW
Selective Service law as it's written now refers specifically to "male persons" in stating who must register and who would be drafted. For women to be required to register with Selective Service, Congress would have to amend the law.
THE SUPREME COURT
The constitutionality of excluding women was tested in the courts. A Supreme Court decision in 1981, Rostker v. Goldberg, held that registering only men did not violate the due process clause of the Constitution.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
At President Clinton's request, the Department of Defense reviewed this issue in 1994. DoD noted that America's prior drafts were used to supply adequate numbers of Army ground combat troops. Because women are excluded by policy from front line combat positions, excluding them from the draft process remains justifiable in DoD's view. Although no conclusions were reached, DoD recognized that policies regarding women need to be reviewed periodically because the role of women in the military continues to expand.
The Selective Service System, if given the mission and additional funding, is capable of registering and drafting women with its existing infrastructure. http://www.sss.gov/FSwomen.htm
Also, a little more readable version of my previous post.
Almost all male U.S. citizens, and male aliens living in the U.S., who are 18 through 25, are required to register with Selective Service. It's important to know that even though he is registered, a man will not automatically be inducted into the military. In a crisis requiring a draft, men would be called in sequence determined by random lottery number and year of birth. Then, they would be examined for mental, physical and moral fitness by the military before being deferred or exempted from military service or inducted into the Armed Forces.
A chart of who must register is also available.
NON-CITIZENS
Some non-citizens are required to register. Others are not. Noncitizens who are not required to register with Selective Service include men who are in the U.S. on student or visitor visas, and men who are part of a diplomatic or trade mission and their families. Almost all other male noncitizens are required to register, including illegal aliens, legal permanent residents, and refugees. The general rule is that if a male noncitizen takes up residency in the U.S. before his 26th birthday, he must register with Selective Service. For a more detailed list of which non-citizens must register, see Who Must Register - Chart .
DUAL NATIONALS
Dual nationals of the U.S. and another country are required to register, regardless of where they live, because they are U.S. nationals.
See also Aliens and Dual Nationals - Liability for Service
HOSPITALIZED OR INCARCERATED MEN
Young men in hospitals, mental institutions or prisons do not have to register while they are committed. However, they must register within 30 days after being released if they have not yet reached their 26th birthday.
DISABLED MEN
Disabled men who live at home must register with Selective Service if they can reasonably leave their homes and move about independently. A friend or relative may help a disabled man fill out the registration form if he can't do it himself.
Men with disabilities that would disqualify them from military service still must register with Selective Service. Selective Service does not presently have authority to classify men, so even men with obvious handicaps must register now, and if needed, classifications would be determined later.
FULL-TIME MILITARY EXEMPTED FROM REQUIREMENT*
Young men serving in the military on full-time active duty do not have to register. Those attending the service academies do not have to register. However, if a young man leaves the military before turning 26, he must register.
NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVES*
Members of the Reserve and National Guard not on full-time active duty must register.
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS
Men who would be classified as Conscientious Objectors if they were drafted must also register with Selective Service. If a draft begins and they are called, they would have the opportunity to file a claim for exemption from military service based upon their religious or moral objection to war.
*NOTE: If a man failed to register with Selective Service, Section 12(g) of the Military Selective Service Act allows non-registrants to receive benefits under specific conditions. As a veteran, or part-time National Guard or Reservist, the man satisfies those conditions with his DD Form 214 showing the dates of his military service, or a current military ID card if still on active duty or a member of the National Guard and Reserves. These documents serve as evidence that the man's failure to register was not knowing and willful. Therefore, men who served on full-time active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces should not be denied student financial aid, loans, or grants; vocational training under WIA; government employment; and security clearances, on the basis of their failure to register with Selective Service. As long as the man has proof of his active duty military service, such as his DD 214, or current military ID card if still on active duty or a member of the National Guard or Reserves, his subsequent failure to register should not be a bar to any benefits or programs, contingent upon registration compliance, for which he is otherwise qualified.
http://www.sss.gov/FSwho.htm
David
See below where men (but not women) still have to register with the Selective Service System.
I do not believe nowadays there is much ado if one does not register but with some state governments and the federal government you have to prove that you registered if you are applying for a job.
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/defenseandsecurity/a/draftreg.htm
Back in the days of the Kansas State Militia, the county clerks were required to forward the names of every able bodied male in the county from 18, or so, up to age of 40, or so, to the state adjutant general for service, if it might be required.
This was in case of a massive state emergency.
In most cases, the call for militia went out for volunteers and men responded.
There was a Kansas State Militia case in which the governor put out a call for volunteers; 1,300 men responded; and the governor resigned to take command. This was not during the Civil War but was in 1868 when General Custer needed help in Indian Territory.
Selective Service Quick Facts
QUICK FACTS AND FIGURES
Registration compliance (calendar year 2007)
Men 18 to 25 years old who have registered: 91 percent. Men 20 to 25 years old who have registered (draft eligible): 95 percent. Number of names and addresses on file for men 18 to 25 years old: Over 14 million.
Agency Budget (FY 2008)
$22,000,000
I don't agree with the draft. Our armed forces are made up of volunteers, people not forced to be there. Personally, I think that every able bodied male should serve at least 2 years, I did 6, but they should not be forced to. As for providing our young people some "excitment" in their "dull lives"? Who gets to decide what "dull" is? Being shot at, I can assure you is not excitment.
Who said anything about excitement? I am talking about giving them a purpose like I used to have. Chores to do when I got home from school, a paper route to take care of and if we were lucky we could manage to listen to Jack Armstrong before it was time to go get the cows, the evening meal around the table with the whole family present. Those things don't exist for everyone so they turn to the streets. A job that pays is much preferred to hanging out for nothing.
Today we face an entirely different situation, but still our young people need a purpose. Without purpose, they turn to the elements that will provide excitement in their dull lives.-wilma
Actually, you did. Kids don't turn to the streets because they have nothing to do, they turn to the streets due to poor parenting. I don't think there is anything wrong with chores, family dinners, etc. My problem is with forced charity or community service, whatever you want to call it.
OK, the kids around here have a purpose. But what about the kids in the big cities who have no place to go except an empty house, because Dad doesn't live there and Mom is trying to work two jobs to keep the kids together. The kids can't work because there is a child labor law. They turn to the street or bring the street into the house with them. The pattern is set. When they are old enough to hold a job, they are into something entirely different. If they know there is something that they can turn to instead, that provides them with enough money to get by on and teaches them a skill at the same time, maybe they wouldn't stay on the street.
We have after school programs, the PAL programs, scouting, 4-H, New Castle County Parks and Rec. programs, Newark Parks and Rec. and so on. And yes, some are"forced" When N.C.C. has their Easter Egg Hunt and Ice Cream Festival the employees are expected to sign up to help. If not you better have a good excuse, or you aren't a "team player" and that could affect a promotion down the road. Ah yes, politics at it's best. Nobody can say they were forced, but ya better if you know what's good for ya!
Quote from: Wilma on April 23, 2009, 07:20:51 AM
OK, the kids around here have a purpose. But what about the kids in the big cities who have no place to go except an empty house, because Dad doesn't live there and Mom is trying to work two jobs to keep the kids together. The kids can't work because there is a child labor law. They turn to the street or bring the street into the house with them. The pattern is set. When they are old enough to hold a job, they are into something entirely different. If they know there is something that they can turn to instead, that provides them with enough money to get by on and teaches them a skill at the same time, maybe they wouldn't stay on the street.
Wilma what purpose do the kids of Elk County have that can't be found in the big cities? Last year I set up a crime database for my local PD using the FBI Uniform Crime data For fun I compared Howard\Elk County to my city of Belmont, CA located in one of the largest metropolitan areas of the country. The violent crime and property crimes per capita were surprisingly similar. I had expected Elk County\Howard to be much lower. Both places were significantly below the National avg. in violent crime and had basically the same percent of property crimes as the National avg.
As to what Billy said about it being bad parenting, I agree. Not that there are not some aspects of daily life that many find it hard to reconcile how to raise their kids.
While their are differences between big cities and small rural towns, having lived in both, I will say that all the things that Wilma mentioned I can find examples of it in both places.
It comes down to good parenting being the solution.
David
I think the parents in a small community have a better chance to be good parents, simply because everybody knows where the kids are and what they are doing. I hear there are some things going on around here that shouldn't but being a recluse, I don't hear much and never who. With Janet out of town, I hear even less, not that she ever told me anything anyway. She had an answer for when I asked about things that were none of my business. "That is Sheriff s--t, Mother."
I know there are lots of programs for keeping young people off the streets, but who sees that they participate? Why are there so many unsupervised kids? Even here, there are cars going too fast, things like the mailbox damage that happened some time back, kids that are driving around in the wee hours of the morning and noise on the street that keeps an old lady from sleeping. Why there should be engine revving at 2:00 in the morning, I will never know. Of course, I never did any of these things.
Kids in the city aren't that much different than city kids. You have loud music, just different types. Kids in cities may have easier access to drugs, while county kids have an easier time getting alcohol. You still have single parents in both settings. I think that where small town parents have an advantage is usually the mantality (sp?) of the community. Small towns generally alot more "grit" and alot less entitlement ways of thinking. They don't have as much access to welfare programs so they have to make due and work. Children see this and learn from it. again, Root Cause, you have to start in the home.
Well, for pity's sake.
Parents knowing what their children is doing is no different from many years ago. When you give birth to a baby, you commit yourself to raising and protecting that child. Where in the world are you people coming from???? You give birth - raise the child -- teach them right from wrong - make sure they do what is right, NOT wrong, and follow through on your teachings. If they do get off the path, punish them, stop all of this crap about big towns, small towns.. holy buckets, a baby is born innocent - it is fed, diapered, and hugged and kissed --- just like it was from the beginning of mankind. Where in the hell do you justify big city, small town?????
Give birth -- raise child -- teach correct behavior, manners, respect for others, obey the law, and trust in the good Lord for all the guidance that HE has to offer.
I cannot believe all of the excuses that are posted on this forum. Raise your own kids -- they did not ask to be born --- take care of them and quit using every excuse in the book to account for why they turned out bad. Good Grief!!!
That is it for the evening - I am out of here.
Jo
Jo, I don't think that anybody is making excues, just comparing the similarities and differences in enviroments. I happen to agree with you though.
" Give birth -- raise child -- teach correct behavior, manners, respect for others, obey the law, and trust in the good Lord for all the guidance that HE has to offer."-JoMcDonald
Jo you made my point. It is parenting not big city small town. I have lived in all types of big towns small towns. Spent a fair amount of time in Elk County, read the forum here, talked to my family that have been back to Howard more recently than I. I think if we were all sitting around in Winn's Cafe(some of you will know why I chose that place) in Howard drinking coffee we would find we all agree. I think it has lost something in translation here on the forum.
David
Quote from: Jo McDonald on April 23, 2009, 06:51:58 PM
Raise your own kids -- they did not ask to be born ---
ahhhhhhhhh... but we DID ask to be born...........( You know that mama).... :)
I stand corrected ( head bowed down) :angel:
I took some time and really looked at this... I checked out the links I added too and I really have a lot I want to say.........but will first post this.....
HR 1388 or the Obama Youth Brigade Bill - UPDATE - by Duane Lester
Mar 26th, 2009 -
http://www.allamericanblogger.com/6886/hr-1388-or-the-obama-youth-brigade-bill-update/
Hitler knew that if you control the youth, you control the future. I wrote about him in "The Threats to Homeschooling: From Hitler to the NEA." As I noted in that article, Hitler said:
"The Youth of today is ever the people of tomorrow. For this reason we have set before ourselves the task of inoculating our youth with the spirit of this community of the people at a very early age, at an age when human beings are still unperverted and therefore unspoiled.
The Hitler Youth were started in the 1920s, and by 1933 numbered more than 100,000. Hitler said his goal was a strong Germany. In 1934, he told a crowd at a Nuremberg Rally, "regardless of whatever we create and do, we shall pass away, but in you, Germany will live on and when nothing is left to us, you will have to hold up the banner which some time ago we lifted out of nothingness.
In 1939, membership was compulsory for children over 17. Its membership comprised 90% of the country's young. In 1941, membership was mandatory for any child over ten.
There are former members of the Hitler Youth living today, including the current Pope. One has to wonder what they think of HR 1388, the "Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education," which would create what some are calling the Obama Youth Brigade.
On Monday, the House passed it. It is currently in the Senate, where enough Republicans are weak enough to vote for it.
The bill has more than a few reasons to create worry.
http://www.redstate.com/hogan/2009/03/25/promoting-statism-in-the-name-of-service/
1. The bill will substantially increase the size and reach of an existing federal government program;
2. The bill will burden taxpayers with more than 5 billion tax dollars at a time when we should be cutting back, not spending more;
3. The bill will steer funding and volunteers for public service away from churches, individuals, neighbors, and others who would like to lend a helping hand and toward organizations selected by bureaucrats;
4. The bill is full of vague language and has insufficient safeguards to prevent left-wing special interest groups from using tax dollars to advance their agenda in the name of "community service;"
5. The bill risks politicizing charity and community service by funneling funds and volunteers toward the preferred organizations picked by ideologues;
6. The first 25% of this bill is really education legislation, and should be in an education bill at the state level;
7. The bill will compound the disincentives created by new limits on federal tax deductions for charitable giving, thereby decreasing the role of families, churches and other local organizations in their communities.
When you look at the details – one realizes that it's far worse than even that... more along the lines of full-scale indoctrination camps toward Statism. The legislation will, in many circumstances, force our children to participate in charitable activity as part of school – and that activity may well be chosen by or approved by a bureaucrat. The bill causes a federally chartered, Washington-based institution to, essentially, pick priorities and winners and losers in the charitable universe – undoubtedly putting many charities at a significant disadvantage...
Here's another disturbing part of the bill. It directs a committee to look into mandating service, i.e. making it compulsory:
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090325/OPINION/903250315/1070?Title=CLOSE-TO-HOME-How-can-volunteerism-in-America-be-mandatory-
"The effect on the Nation, on those who serve, and on the families of those who serve, if all individuals in the United States were expected to perform national service or were required to perform a certain amount of national service.
(6) Whether a workable, fair, and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people could be developed, and how such a requirement could be implemented in a manner that would strengthen the social fabric of the Nation and overcome civic challenges by bringing together people from diverse economic, ethnic, and educational backgrounds."
If the program is made mandatory, and it's hard to believe it won't be, it will mandate middle and high school students to 50 hours a year. College students will be on the hook for 100 hours. And with this mandatory service, aka forced labor, comes some other restrictions on your liberties. It prohibits religious activities.
http://www.thevoicemagazine.com/?option=com_content&view=article&id=512
The Bill would forbid any student in the brigade to participate in "engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization." That means no church attendance or witnessing.
Again, is this what America voted for?
Here is part of the HR1388 Bill's wording:
SEC. 1304. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.
Section 125 (42 U.S.C. 12575) is amended to read as follows:
SEC. 125. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.
(a) Prohibited Activities- A participant in an approved national service position under this subtitle may not engage in the following activities:
(1) Attempting to influence legislation.
(2) Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes.
(7) Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization.
UPDATE: The Senate passed the bill today.
Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe again voted with the Democrats to pass it.
Let's see; plans for a National Security Force, a Youth Corps (Korps?), leaked memorandums identifying reputable citizens, military veterans, and critics of the Administration as possible dangerous dissidents...doesn't any of this sound even the least bit familiar to the American public?
Or are we generally as uniformed as the man on the street interviews (that some of the TV talk show hosts use) indicate?
Just wait until you see the list and types of questions on the 2010 census.
If you are living in the city and are lucky.. a card carrying member of ACORN will be visiting your neighborhood.
Don't worry about your answers; if they don't fit the profiles that the Administration wants, the data will be modified. ACORN was selected because the are not only friends of Obie but also known to have the required skill sets for manipulating information.
I will only respond with 2 adults living in this house and one employed. The Constitution allows for enumeration of residents but does not mention educational information, employment type, income, disabilities, abilities, or any other information mining these clones will be instructed to wring from you. By the way, they do not have access to your house. The yard or driveway is just fine for a brief interview.
I get this sick all over feeling.............................
Good Morning Children...
Lets play who has the smartest Grandpa game:
Today we will see whose Grandpa know the MOST about the Federal Government.
and after lunch we will play the Whose Grandpa has the most guns game.. and there will be some really nice games and prizes... the Winner will get a Tee shirt with the Supreme Leaders face on the Front AND the Back.
Johnny, what does your Grandpa say about the Federal Government ?
I was gone last week...
my punishment for not working at night in the hotel room after being at the range for 12 hours was 687 e-mails that I have to tend to.
( no ..not spam.. REAL e-mails. :o :o)
I got this personal letter from a good friend who lives in a city. He sent it to several of his friends. I received it Monday and am just now opening it up . Since it touches on things that have been discussed in this forum, I would like to share it with you.
well, this is a day of hope and fear for me..
hope because i find my college age girl is AWARE of what is going on and does not like it... and reports to me tonite that her generation are not all lining up in the approved new order.
and fear for our system and our life as we have known it.. .and indeed that my precious children will be drawn into this... and may never know the life we have been so privileged to enjoy .
My daughter tells me several things tonight..
1. her boyfriends long arms are REGISTERED.. I said what, why, is he on parole.. ..she said no.. he lives over the county line,, and his county requires his Mossberg 12 and his AR -15 to be registered... even though he bought the shotgun here... where we can buy longarms at will...
2. that she found a website , an Obama youth sort of thing...like the one We all discussed a while back which encouraged people to inform on those who use the internet to spread unfavorable views of the Administration
EXCEPT the one my daughter viewed ASKED the young members to LIST THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF PEOPLE THEY KNEW POSSESSED FIREARMS.. and the number and type if they knew it......INCLUDING THEIR PARENTS..
and Em said there were at that time over 200 PUBLICLY VIEWABLE responses.. ...Name ADDRESS and weapons in the house.
3. she told me of a Gov't advisory leaked by a stunned Michigan State Police Officer .. which described indicators that a person may be a domestic terrorist... including food hoarding.. and ...displaying a RON PAUL bumper sticker...
We spoke briefly... honestly, I did not know her views.. thought she was the usual young girl with thoughts all about boys , music, fashion... (How quickly they can change after being gone from home for awhile..)
One thing came of that conversation was that we both understand.. as I hope you all do... that THEY DO NOT HAVE TO SEND TROOPS AND TANKS TO CONTROL the POPULATION~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALL THEY NEED TO DO is CONTROL THE FOOD DELIVERY SYSTEM.. ..
Few areas,, and certainly no densely populated areas now adays are at all capable of feeding their residents without the national network of highways and trucks bringing in food from afar.....or fuel for that matter. Cold is endurable , but hunger is debilitating..
ON ANOTHER MATTER... the GOV't staged a "PHOTO OPPORTUNITY today... in NEW YORK CITY... supposedly for some glorious pride inspiring scenes.
It consisted of Air Force 1 and a fighter escort zooming low over the site of the 9-11-01 disaster... ostensibly to say ~~WE ARE NOT HUMBLED~~.. and I suppose one could see a point in that.
HOWEVER THE POPULATION OF NEW YORK CITY WAS NOT INFORMED and panic ensued in the streets..and buildings... it was nearly disastrous.... many New Yorkers have not , and never will be the same , having gone thru what no Western nations population has in over 1/2 a century & 2 generations..
OOOPS We FORGOT TO TELL YOU ...or
a show of ........of WHAT ?
I suppose it was it to be confidence inspiring.. "hey New York ...we are here, we got your back..."
or was it .......................
well you know...
reminds me of this movie....but .....never mind...you know that too..
People pretending to be police officers are risking trouble when they put stupid stuff on the Internet. This stuff winds up from 4th hand sources that can't be verified. Number 2 could easily be a predator or worse. Why would anybody be taken in by that?
Diane.. you would be so surprised ( or maybe you wouldn't) at what we hear around the dinner table when we all get together after working . Last week we had lots of military men..Current and veterans..LOTS of cops from all levels from undercover ( who couldn't have their pics taken) to street cops to private detectives to military cops.
You have no idea the wealth of information and stories you gather while listening to all of them tell about their adventures. Plus what is really going on out there and what to aware of..
I can't put a price on what I have learned this past year.
But yeah...............some people will buy into anything..
Nope, not surprised at all. I hear it every day. And from the same totally scruffy under cover people too. And vice also. My adventures and theirs sometimes overlap. It is priceless. We have a rule that if I am ever out and about I see one of them, they have to approach me if they want to say hello. I never speak first 'cause I don't know what they might be doing.
You know a while back somebody posted a video and comment comparing Nobama to Hitler, most on here said that it was ridiculous, that the two had nothing in common. Others said that we should just trust the government knows what they're doing. When I orginally started this thread I was told that it would never happen. Yet, now we have a LAW that says it will, and people are STILL denying it. What is it going to take to wake people up to this, Brown Shirts and Jack Boots??
Tersa, thank you so much for posting what you found on this.
Post Script: If it is supposed to be a volunteeray thing, why then make it mandatory? People should volounteer to help because they want to not be forced to.
I really don't have an opinion because volunteering is in my Kansas blood line. But an awful lot of countries do have some sort of National Service requirement.
America used to have salvery too, but we abolished that a long time ago.
It may not be "legal," but you would be amazed at what goes on in big cities like NY and Chicago. Slavery is not gone, it just mutated.
Diane it wouldn't surprise me at all. Slavery is a big problem. It used to be confined to criminal elements, now our government wants in on it.
How do you mean?
Mandatory servitude...ring any bells?
Explain it, please.
Billy, do you mean the draft? It's gone. I guess I'm thick today, I don't get it.
Quote from: Diane Amberg on May 01, 2009, 11:07:43 AM
Billy, do you mean the draft? It's gone. I guess I'm thick today, I don't get it.
This is very nit picky, but I have too much free time on my hands today.
The draft is not gone, it is not in effect. Registration for the draft continues today. The ability to draft people into the army can still be done.
I think Billy means the slavery of the plantation\Civil War variety.
Billy, Do you include jury duty in your list of mandatory servitude. It is a government mandated civil duty?
Don't you think you are being a bit hard on the little Varmit? (No offense meant Billy)
David
Go ahead and be nit picky David and of course you are right. Billy went over my head on this one and I don't mean to seem hard on him, I just don't get what he means. He himself stated that slavery had been outlawed and I can't get a handle on what he was driving at. Was it jury duty? That might fit the bill. I hadn't considered that.
I am talking about obama requiring grade school and high school and others to perform 50 hours of community service each year. That is not volunteering thats forcing people, who have done nothing wrong, to perform services for communities, Thats salvery.
The Draft is and was wrong.
Forced Jury Duty is wrong.
So you think that the citizens of this country should not be required to do anything to support their country, Billy?
They work and pay taxes and have the choice to do more. I don't consider volunteering at your local soup kitchen supporting your country.
People are noticing the country is changing for the worse.
Obama is more and more like a tyrant every day.
Oh, now redcliffsw, aren't you being overly judgmental. I mean look at the facts.
We pour BILLIONS in industries because they are too big to fail, and they go bankrupt anyway...how is that worse??
Obama a tyrant...say its not so. he passes bills that force folks into service programs, restricts and violates the Consitiution, how can you say these are the actions of a tyrant? :-X
Judgmental?????
Our founding fathers established this thing right.
Tyrant? Obama is no George Washington - he's like King George.
Red, I really hope you detected the sarcasm in my last post..
King George..I disagree, King George believed in keeping his country safe. ;)
Ok guys, I must have been under a rock somewhere. Since when is the high school community service a Federal Mandate? I have helped several kids with their projects and they told me it makes them look better to colleges when they apply.... That it's colleges that want it, because it shows a willingness to work hard and be less self centered and that they have good time management and organizational skills.
Diane, review Teresa' post on page 4. She has a lot of information on this.
What does being "less self centered" have to do with going to college?
Billy, I know what you meant.
King George was still a king even if he night have been a good one.
But, a good king is not forever.
Believe me red, I agree.
Billy, beats me. I'm just telling you what the kids told me. (They get high school credit for it too, as part of their social studies classes.) More mature maybe?
Ok,Billy I went and read it ...It says "IF'' I doubt parents would put up with it if it becomes ''When.'' That is very slanted writing in an ugly fashion. I tend to turn away from things that immediately invoke Hitler. I'd listen, but not to him. I do not respect that kind of writing.
Unfortunately, a lot of people believe it, just like they believe a lot of things that aren't entirely true.
Diane, HR1388 sets aside funds, means, whatever to look at making it mandatory. This bill has passed the house. If it becomes law, parents don't have a choice, do they? I wonder, was the majority of parents behind taking prayer out of school? It became law. As for comparing Hitler with obama the shoe certainly seems to fit. Oh, and one more thing, Nobama wants this to be mandatory, kinda reminds me of someone else, at this point "Yes, We Can" sounds a little to close to "Arbeit Macht Frei" for my taste.