Posted on 01/21/2009 6:43:10 AM PST by rabscuttle385
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) today introduced the “Serve America Act,” a bill to expand national and community service opportunities for all Americans. Senators Mikulski, McCain, Dodd, Cochran, Reid, Gregg, Durbin, Wicker, Murray, Snowe, Kerry, Lincoln, Cardin, Rockefeller, Schumer, Whitehouse, Menendez, Bayh and Landrieu are also sponsors of the legislation.
The goal of the legislation is to encourage 175,000 more Americans to give a year of service to address specific national challenges such as strengthening our schools or increasing economic opportunities, thereby expanding the number of such service participants to 250,000. The legislation will also increase opportunities for individuals to serve at any stage of their life, from childhood through retirement, and will support social entrepreneurs with innovative solutions to tackle our most pressing problems.
“President-Elect Obama has called on Americans to serve, and they’ve already shown they’re ready to answer the call, with hundreds of thousands signing up to volunteer on Martin Luther King Day of Service. I’m delighted to join Senator Orrin Hatch in introducing this important bill. Our legislation will make it possible for many more Americans to continue to serve – to devote a year or longer to contribute to their country and their community,” said Senator Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which oversees existing service programs. “The Serve America Act will increase service opportunities for Americans of all ages, from young people helping to improve their own communities, to retiring professionals who can apply the skills they’ve gained over a lifetime to some of our greatest challenges. It will enable many more Americans to be part of the solution to major national challenges, such as the lack of health care in our needy communities, the problems in our schools, and the energy and environmental crises that threaten our planet. With the current economic crisis hitting our families and communities so hard, it’s as important as ever that we help each other.”
Senator Hatch said, “For many years, I have advocated for increased opportunities for volunteer service. The Serve America Act represents an effective and fiscally responsible approach to providing private citizens with an opportunity to help their communities. Investing in the commitment and ingenuity of the American people is a mutually beneficial way of addressing our nation’s most pressing problems. Indeed, as private citizens begin to do more in their communities, in the long run, it will mean that the government will have to do less to provide for those in need. I’m proud to join my colleague Senator Kennedy and a bipartisan group of Senators in supporting this important legislation.”
I’m ready to cut back on my volunteer activities now that the government is going to have a volunteer program.
I assume all welfare recipients will be required to sign up first.
“It will ask 175,000 Americans to give a year of service through these corps as part of a new national commitment to solve these challenges, expanding the number of national service participants to 250,000.”
That don’t sound like askin’, it sounds like tellin’. It sounds like a civilian draft!
What you say is very true, ay. “He who controls the language controls the agenda.” We’ve been hearing a very steady, very scary spew from Obama from the start. “Opportunity” was one magic word. “Hope” and “Change” are two more...
From the other day, “Imperfect” and “more Perfect” (parse that latter concept if you can: how can something become “more perfect”? It’s either perfect and cannot be improved, or it isn’t).
All these keywords — straight out of the Socialist playbook. You don’t notice it until it is gone: we’ve just emerged from NINE YEARS of it in NZ, and the difference in language is refreshing.
I do lots of volunteer work, too
LOTS of it
But if I get drafted to do Obamaster volunteer work, it sure is gonna cut into my volunteer work- if you know what I mean
The language of this bill - is truly truly CREEPY. Like Twilight Zone creepy.
They declared war on conservatism, and now that "compassionate conservatism" has exited it's time to fight fire with fire. And that includes, among many things, holding what's left of the Republican party's feet to the fire.
Guess I'm not gonna "get with the program". For RINO's who want to sleep with the enemy, that's what elections are for, and websites like this will play a important role in exposing the traitors.
Let's roll...not roll over.
Once upon a time, he was something of a conservative.
Wicker(R-MS).....when did this solid conservative go RINO?
Can we PLEASE find someone who will stand up and say that the emporer has no clothes? That he's nude?
Also, I would change that to Liberals think that the solution to every failed government program is another government program.
They should volunteer to get married first before having all those children. Maybe they should consider sticking around to pay for and raise all the children as well.
Of course a year or so from now we’ll all be wondering when it was that opportunities turned into obligations and then requirements.
When it was proposed that residents in public housing perform monthly services, Kennedy called it slavery. So now Rinos are becoming slavemasters.
As a “stay at home mom” I volunteer so much that my house is a wreck. I don’t need anyone telling me to do what I see can be done. I look forward to the day that I can volunteer less and in ways that I find the most meaning.
Let’s see how these lawmakers volunteer to set the example. It would at least get them out of the danger zone in legislating our lives. LEAD by EXAMPLE, meddling overlords!
I recall volunteering under the Bush 1 point of lights program. Worked teaching adults to get their GEDs. Found it difficult as I had not the talent to teach people how to read albeit they were products of the government schools and teachers unions.
So, been there, done that as far as any government sponsored program goes. I'll stick to my church from here out.
Vince
No, the village is supposed to do that. Just ask Hill.
Oh great. Maybe my daughter can pick up trash in one of Detroit’s worst neighborhoods.
bump
January 16, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) today introduced the “Serve America Act,” a bill to expand national and community service opportunities for all Americans. Senators Mikulski, McCain, Dodd, Cochran, Reid, Gregg, Durbin, Wicker, Murray, Snowe, Kerry, Lincoln, Cardin, Rockefeller, Schumer, Whitehouse, Menendez, Bayh and Landrieu are also sponsors of the legislation.
What, no Specter? Any other Repuke-ians in that list? I'm too disgusted to go look.
Here comes the brownshirts... Makes me sorry I've read history books, I could be blissfully ignorant right now....
Oh, don't worry. "Volunteer" is just a euphemism.
I believe this would be compulsory. Also known as slavery.
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