Serve America Lets Congress Take Another Bow

cato ^

[keep your powder dry]

Passed the House, Passed the Senate, and outlawed Religion for those in 'volunteer' programs:

last week, the House passed the Serve America Act (SAA), which will triple the number of federally funded "volunteer" positions, create a "Clean Energy Corps" to weatherize homes, and make September 11th a "National Day of Service."

Like many federal assaults on the taxpayer, the SAA is a bipartisan offense: It passed by huge margins in both houses. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-MA, the primary sponsor, got a standing ovation after the vote was in, and co-sponsor Orrin Hatch, the Utah Republican, gushed that "the whole Kennedy family has been a service family."

Hatch's statement neatly captures the fallacy behind the act - the notion that service to America is principally service to the American state.

..... 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:

....

`(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.

[Andyman]

I’ve always said that the next step will be to control which activities are worthy of being volunteered for. Wait until you are told who you have to volunteer for and faithful Catholics are told to report to Planned Parenthood for service.

[keep your powder dry]

Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution:

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

[pnh102]

So the GOP supports this crap and I am expected to vote for them?

[The Great RJ]

However there is no prohibition on using these funds for political “organizing” ...hence this bill is just another way to funnel money to ACORN.

[keep your powder dry]

Correction:

The SAA only:
“It’s time for a real Patriot Act that brings out the patriot in all of us. This is not a draft,” Rahm and Reed insisted. Instead, “young people will know that between the ages of 18 and 25, the nation will enlist them for three months of civilian service.” See the difference?

the list outlawing religion is for those ‘volunteering’ under “GIVE”

[MamaTexan]

This is not a draft,” Rahm and Reed insisted. Instead, “young people will know that between the ages of 18 and 25, the nation will enlist them for three months of civilian service.”

R&R can KMA.

My kids will NEVER 'serve'.

[familyop]

All of you:

Follow the link, and read the quotes of McCain’s comments. That’s why I won’t vote for him, anyone who ran with him or anyone who supported the Party at that time, or anyone like them, ever. ...no candidates for the sake of political correctness. ...heterosexual, pro-family men only—real men. ...no politically correct free traitors, even if they try to fool us by lying about their positions. ...bad voting record: forget it (re. no globalism—none). ...little or no voting record: forget it (no governors without congressional voting records).

And CATO, we can’t have “fiscal conservatism” without moral conservatism. ...no free-slaving, anti-American CATO favorites.

[LiteKeeper]

"Congress shall make NO law...prohibiting the free exercise of religion"

First Amendment to the United States Constitution.