Posted on 11/09/2001 8:46:40 AM PST by meandog
McCain, Bayh Applaud President Bush's Emphasis on Volunteerism
November 9, 2001
-- Senators' "Call to Service Act" Would Create Volunteer Homeland Defense Corps -
Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Evan Bayh (D-IN) today made the following statement:
"We applaud President Bush for issuing a call to service in his address to the nation last night. Declaring that 'Our citizens have new responsibilities,' the President endorsed the creation of new opportunities within AmeriCorps and SeniorCorps programs for public safety and public health efforts.
"Earlier this week, we introduced legislation that would create a new role for AmeriCorps in homeland defense duties. Our legislation would dramatically expand service opportunities under AmeriCorps and create a new short-term military enlistment option. We look forward to working with President Bush to create more opportunities for Americans to serve their country, and to meet the challenges of a new age.
"This cause transcends party or ideology and unites all citizens in service to their nation, in both civilian and military capacities.
"We anticipate working closely with the Administration to enact this legislation. The time is right and the need is urgent."
It was only a short while ago that Americorps, a boondoggle for funding the leftist agenda, was slated for extincition.
I object to the creation of a federal works program disguised as "volunteering."
EDITORIAL: Shut down Americorps Boondoggle still flunks audits.
No one opposes young people volunteering their time and energies to help the less fortunate.
But let U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., do his job as financial monitor of "Americorps" -- the cadre of college student "volunteers" being paid by the federal government to work at Democrat-approved projects (think they pay anyone to help Weyerhaeuser cut trees? To help poor children learn markmanship or gunsmithing?) -- and Mr. Clinton's apologists accuse the congressman of being "overzealous" and "unfair."
After seven years of trying to get it right, the Americorps boondoggle -- all they're supposed to do is pay small stipends and award scholarships to college volunteers -- still can't explain where the money goes.
Rep. Hoekstra has managed to figure out where some of the money goes. When the military base at San Francisco's Presidio was closed, many expected that valuable real estate might be released to the public sector, helping to relieve the city's desperate housing shortage.
Instead, the administration now spends $1.1 million per year operating the site as an Americorps training center -- the equivalent of using gold bricks from Fort Knox as fishing weights.
"How can you ask for more money for an organization that can't keep its books?" asked Mr. Hoekstra, after Americorps failed another audit on March 3.
The program's officers explain they're doing good works, and that seven years isn't long enough to hire competent bookkeepers. Problem is, that means they can't document that they're doing enough good works to justify an annual allocation of three-quarters of a billion dollars -- or even whether the college-age volunteering might continue unabated, even if Americorps were shut down completely.
Which is precisely what Congress should now do.
* In Delaware, AmeriCorps members are recruiting women for the Women, Infants and Children welfare program and even driving them to welfare offices.
* In Virginia Beach, recruits helped the city double the size of an outreach program that signs people up for housing subsidies.
* The Mississippi Action for Community Education (MACE) program, which has been on the AmeriCorps gravy train since 1994, promised in its 1999 grant application that AmeriCorps members would "conduct door-to-door canvassing to identify potential food stamp recipients" and also provide "assistance...in completing necessary applications for food stamps."
However, what I heard President Bush say and what McCain says he said are two different things. I want to see the PRESIDENT'S statement of endorsement, and I want to see the plan, and then I will have further comment.
I wonder when these "opportunities" will become mandatory?
I don't shape my beliefs on the basis of what the politicians are saying, contrary to popular belief.
I say Bush is a nice guy, and proves over and over again that he is willing to work with anybody... and anything.
Answer your question?
Dan
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