Posted on 06/23/2007 11:28:52 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
NASHUA, N.H. - Aiming to create the first generation in which all Americans serve their country, Democratic presidential hopeful Chris Dodd is offering a range of initiatives to encourage — and in some cases compel — community service.
"All Americans should serve our country," the Connecticut senator said in remarks prepared for delivery Saturday. "Endowed as we are with so many gifts, is it too much to ask that we each give something back to this remarkable place?"
He proposes making community service mandatory for all high school students, doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011 and expanding the AmeriCorps national service program to 1 million participants by the end of his presidency.
Requiring high school students to perform community service will give them a chance to acquire new skills while meeting the needs of their communities, Dodd said.
"If the chat rooms and online communities of today show us anything, it is that young people yearn for shared experiences," he said. "All they are missing is leadership from us to redirect that interest toward community service."
Dodd would encourage service by adults by offering tax credits to employers who give workers paid time off to volunteer and $1,000 grants for seniors who help out in schools. The money could be used for their own continuing education or that of a child or grandchild.
Dodd also would create a Rapid Response Reserve Corps made up of retired military people and service corps alumni to work alongside firefighters, police and other first responders. Altogether, the plan would cost about $10 billion over eight years.
"As president, I will ask all Americans to share in the responsibility of bringing our nation together again, and I will provide the ways for all Americans to participate," Dodd said. "Never again will this country have to wait for a national crisis to bring us together with national purpose," he said.
Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards has promoted community service through his One Corps program, which brings together his supporters in each state to work on service projects. Sen. Barack Obama has proposed a "5-E Youth Service Corps" to get disadvantaged young people involved in service projects that focus on energy efficiency and the environment.
Ask...yes. Enforce, NO!
Watch how Dodd votes for the Peon Amnesty bill ~ he sure does love his slaves.
if he wants people to give back, it sure would be nice if he specified what was taken in the first place.
On top of that, I never understood this nonsense about "giving back." I didn't take anything from anybody. If I owe anyone anything, I would dare say it is only to my parents, who sacrificed so much to come to the USA (legally) and work their butts off so my family and I could have a nice life. No one, outside of them and myself, contributed anything to my well being.
Dear Senator Dodd,
Stuff your Socialism up yout rear.
Cordially,
SolidWood
You first. As a senator, especially now in the majority party, you've done a huge amount of harm to this country. Stop it and start being a decent, productive citizen, and then we'll talk about everyone else.
I’m with our democratic friend here.
Given the sorry state of American culture and education, Americans need some sort of mandatory service to teach them the basic life and social skills they need to be productive members of society. The systems established in Germany and Korea work especially well IMO.
This would be beneficial for all classes of society. The inner city poor would be taken out of their rotten environments and lazy middle class xboxers would finally be able to learn what it means to put in an honest day’s work.
Not like this would ever happen though.
|
And do what? Let me guess: Serve as "escorts" at abortion centers—hustling the scared girls in so they won't be dissuaded by the dangerous little old ladies holding rosaries and pictures of babies.
We know who Dodd's clients are.
Good idea. Let’s name it the Nazi Youth Corp.
|
Meanwhile prison chain gangs and force prison labor are “wrong” but all comrades in the US must work for free for The State.
Nice minimum wage increase you passed there, Rats.
Phoeey to Youeee!
Would help building the fence, or rounding up Illegals count?
Doesn’t the Constitution make reference somewhere to “involuntary servitude” or something like that?
That’s how we give back Senator Dud.
To the Left, forcing payment of taxes for the dole/safety net is “charity”.
To the Left, forcing labor in “community service” is “giving of your time”.
They use the language of religion but there is no free will involved. The masses are forced to do these things under penalty of law.
It does nothing to remove our own obligations of faith to do for others BY CHOICE.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.