Meet The New Left: the Republican Party

harryroolaart.com ^ | Wednesday 30 January | Harry Roolaart

[frednorman]

In his State of the Union Address President Bush called on all Americans to serve their nation for the equivalent of two years (4,000 hours) over their lifetimes, and announced a major new citizen service initiative - the USA Freedom Corps. Thinly disguised as "taking responsibility" within our war on terrorism, the new "Freedom Corps" and its terror counterpart "The New Citizen Corps" are perhaps the most alarming elements to stem from government in decades. We expect such programs to emanate from the left, as Americorps did during the Clinton years, but what is particularly alarming in this case is the fact that these new initiatives were announced by George W. Bush, a Republican.

[CyberCowboy777]

I judge each issue on the Issue and never trust anyone in Government. I like the fact that Bush is pushing for more tax cuts. I do not like him promoting the ultimate socialist program, public education.

I Judge on the Issue, not the man. (I voted Bush)

Concerning this issue, the Feds have no business outside the constraints of the Constitution. We have no need for a Federalize National Volunteer group. The Civic response after 9/11 proves that the Individual American can manage this just fine.

[CyberCowboy777]

Are the American people so blind? Or is this the product of Public Education and revised History?

[Lucky]

Read this and the link on #73.

[Doctor Doom]

It's the natural instinct of sheltered herd animals to seek protection and leadership from others.

Freedom is just to scary. There's safety in groupthink. < / sarcasm >

[Dave S]

It is conservative to be able to see that it is none of the government's business what I do with my time. If they didn't already take half of the money we make, we would have the energy and time to do these things on our own without government supervision.

It seems to me your choice of whether to volunteer is still your choice. Whats your beef. The various programs offered vary. They are not all the same. The Peace Corps and AmeriCorps are full time programs, where surprise, surprise, you get some payment for your service. These programs are primarily for young people. The other programs are not paid programs. Bush is merely offering a structure for those who want to find ways to assist in homeland defense, etc. I guess the tin-foil folks will go ballastic when they reailze that FEMA has some involvement. Oh what would we do without our kooks?

[section9]

You are kidding, aren't you?

These same people loved Americorps because Clinton proposed it.

Now they hate a much larger version of the same damn thing because Bush proposed it.

Hitlerjugend indeed!

What idiots!

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[hoosierham]

Strictly speaking, a CONSERVATIVE doesn't want change,he likes the gov't just as it is now.Progressives,liberals,socialists all want more gov't; they just disagree on how much and how soon!

A LIBERTARIAN desires the freedoms and individual rights and responsibilities as per the Constitution of the U.S. of A.Libertarians are actually REACTIONARIES in that they desire a return to the days of less gov't,sau pre-1932.

I, too, am dismayed by President Bush's calls for yet more government agencies and his specific request for 4,000 hours service. It appears that the same people who protest gov't expansion under a Democrat absolutely LOVE gov't expansion under a Republican!!I haven't forgotten that Nixon foisted the EPA on us,an agency which has done immensely well in reducing private property rights !!!

WE have many fine NON-GOV"T social service volunteer agencies and other long-standing LOCAL community service like volunteer firefighters,EMTs, and auxillary police(for special event traffic control, etc.)

This multiplication of patriotic-NAMED agencies strikes me as eerily similar to Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union and satellite countries.

I sincerely wish Bush had asked people to join and support EXISTING LOCAL volunteers rather than propose new federalized ones.

[Ol'foggie]

"We expect such programs to emanate from the left, as Americorps did during the Clinton years, but what is particularly alarming in this case is the fact that these new initiatives were announced by George W. Bush, a Republican."

"Trajedy & Hope" - Carol Qigley - sound familiar? "The goal of Socilism in the United States- make both political partys indistinguishable from one another, so the people only THINK they have a choice at election time." We have arrived at this point!!!!

[tpaine]

"What is funny is at DU they are screaming this is the beginning of a Nazi brown shirt hitler yout corp."

Yep. And there's a crowd here that would fit in very nicely over there. - sinkspur -

--- Yep, -- most of your friends here do fit that same 'brown shirt' authoritarian mold. - You all advocate big gov statist methods, - & ignore the clear intent of the constitution.

Why are you posting at a site dedicated to restoring a free republic?

[Dave S]

The congress is complicit in this decapitation of the USA. The destruction of the WTC was the grease that slides us into the web of acquiescense.

Hey climb back into your bunker. I'm sorry you find the world oh so scarey.

[JohnGalt]

Pardon my First World War knowledge, but Bush's people are idiots for linking 'Freedom' with 'Corps':

The Freikorps, which translates as "Free Corps," were paramilitary freebooter organizations that sprung up around Germany as soldiers returned in defeat from World War I. Many German veterans felt profoundly disconnected from civilian life and joined the Freikorps in search of stability within a military structure. Others, angry at their sudden, apparently inexplicable defeat, joined up in an effort to put down Communist uprisings or exact some form of revenge.

[Rowdee]

..."The president kicked off a two-day swing through three Southern states by promoting his $560 million proposal for a USA Freedom Corps, which would serve as an outlet for Americans who want to contribute to the anti-terror effort but don't really know how to get started. He announced the idea in his State of the Union speech"....

What were you saying about conservative idea and taxpayer dollars and 'volunteers'.....only can the fedgov keep a straight face and calling paid gov employees 'volunteers'!! It seems like he's out to 'outdo' the Pervert....just like Sen. Pete Domenici, R-NM, bragged and bragged about the GOP spending more on education than even the Pervert asked for.

If this is 'conservatism', I'll take socialism....at least them basturds are up front and honest about what they want to accomplish.

[cincinnati_Steve]

Naw, conservatives tolerate more (much more) meddling in their affairs than do Libertarians. I was just pointing that out. It's not as if conservatives want the government to "just go away"...the Libertarians do.

[cincinnati_Steve]

Well stated, and you have my 100% agreement on every point you brought up.

[Dave S]

The government public school determines what is a proper charity.

Then why dont you get off your ass and run for the school board and change the policy. Oh I forget, those that scream about volunterism being bad arent going to "serve" anyone but themselves.

[Doctor Doom]

Good catch. And of course, many of those FreiKorps groups eventually traded their former gray army shirts for another color, and a more eloquent if dark orator.

I'm not going to break Godwin's Law. You know who. :)

[Texaggie79]

Actually I was referring to the "defense" word. I would think that police and military work applies to that.

[Teacher317]

Surely you realize the overhead and "organization" costs this program will lead to?
I'm more interested in the money it will SAVE. Which it does more so.

Uh, care to explain that one? You actually think that laboring for 4000 hours at zero wages is better for the country than working for a wage? Why not 40,000 then? (Yes, let's all be full-time government servants! It's VOLUNTARY, and it SAVES!! /sarcasm>) And you think that this will be a net GAIN for the government? I guarantee you that the taxes they would bleed from me for 4000 hours of paid labor would be worth much more to the country than the ludicrous 'service projects' that Americorps has been shoveling out for years. I guarantee you that those 4000 hours of wages that I would spend (after taxes, of course) would do far more for the economy than anything that a federal program might create.

[CyberCowboy777]

I am disgusted by some so called conservatives...maybe I am more Libertarian? How can a Government Social program be good? How can a Large Government be Good?

[PISANO]

BUNK!!