That Which You Have Not Earned, You Will Not Value

[Spare_change]

Someone once said, "That which you have not earned, you will not value."

What you own has value only because of the effort you put forth to earn it. You appreciate, and value, the car you worked hard to get, more than you would a car someone gave you. Its value isn't in dollars and cents, but rather, in the sweat and effort it took to get it.

We are now two generations into the all-volunteer military. Whereas past generations were required to serve, now a small percentage of our people serve. The number of veterans continues to plummet as the older generations die off.

Do those who serve have a better appreciation of what we have? Do they better understand the value of our democratic system than do those who were simply given it by virtue of their birth? Do immigrants try harder to attain citizenship because they have a better understanding of what we have?

We have very little involvement in the political process by younger generations. Is this because they are taking our gifts for granted?

If this is true, would mandatory public service be appropriate? I'm not necessarily speaking of military service, but perhaps there would be a benefit to each high school graduate (or less) being required to spend one year (or two) supporting the general welfare. They could work in government offices, fill potholes, sweep streets, or anything else requiring manpower.

Should one year (or two) public service be mandatory for college entrance?

 

[JakeStarkey]

Provocative and a great OP. 500 hours mandatory public service for a first year tuition at a public institution.

 

[Dutch]

Watch how fast the support for foreign intervention dries up.

 

[Spare_change]

Provocative and a great OP. 500 hours mandatory public service for a first year tuition at a public institution.

I think that's a viable alternative, though i'm not sure 500 hours is sufficient. Would you propose to pay the worker while in the government employ?

 

[bendog]

I'm not sure an 18 yr old fresh out of HS has that much to give. Sure, he could mow school lawns, and clean off snow .... but that involves a whole set of head aches not just from the guys who do it now but some of those kids will hurt themselves doing manual stuff. We have AmericaCorp and Teach for America, which allows kids to pay off loans with public service, and they get a small stipend to live on as they go. They get placed not just in schools, but in natl parks and such. It's a good idea. Preferable to the dems' present desire to just give kids 4 years free loafing after HS

 

[Spare_change]

I'm not sure an 18 yr old fresh out of HS has that much to give. Sure, he could mow school lawns, and clean off snow .... but that involves a whole set of head aches not just from the guys who do it now but some of those kids will hurt themselves doing manual stuff. We have AmericaCorp and Teach for America, which allows kids to pay off loans with public service, and they get a small stipend to live on as they go. They get placed not just in schools, but in natl parks and such. It's a good idea. Preferable to the dems' present desire to just give kids 4 years free loafing after HS

We have several generations who have been given a great gift - our freedom. But, they take it for granted, and are unwilling to work to keep it. I must admit that I was the same, until I had the 'opportunity' to visit other countries and see the difference. Somehow, we need to educate/motivate our children to understand the great gift they are being asked to protect.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Provocative and a great OP. 500 hours mandatory public service for a first year tuition at a public institution.

I think that's a viable alternative, though i'm not sure 500 hours is sufficient. Would you propose to pay the worker while in the government employ?

We pay military, job corps, Vista, etc., so, yeah, we do, I think. Minimum wage if working in their home area, I would think.

Man, this would be a program that FDR's lefties would have loved: WPA and CCC maxed out and much more.

 

[JakeStarkey]

I'm not sure an 18 yr old fresh out of HS has that much to give. Sure, he could mow school lawns, and clean off snow .... but that involves a whole set of head aches not just from the guys who do it now but some of those kids will hurt themselves doing manual stuff. We have AmericaCorp and Teach for America, which allows kids to pay off loans with public service, and they get a small stipend to live on as they go. They get placed not just in schools, but in natl parks and such. It's a good idea. Preferable to the dems' present desire to just give kids 4 years free loafing after HS

College is not free loafing if the students are held accountable for classes they do not pass. But I agree, let's get some public service out of them.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

Provocative and a great OP. 500 hours mandatory public service for a first year tuition at a public institution.

Yeah.. awesome... that's what Honduras does.

Great model... 12.5 weeks work for a year's worth of tuition,

 

[JakeStarkey]

Provocative and a great OP. 500 hours mandatory public service for a first year tuition at a public institution.

Yeah.. awesome... that's what Honduras does. Great model... 12.5 weeks work for a year's worth of tuition,

Then make it 2,000, son: whatever is right. I see you are using your sigil as an end signature.

 

[bendog]

I'm not sure an 18 yr old fresh out of HS has that much to give. Sure, he could mow school lawns, and clean off snow .... but that involves a whole set of head aches not just from the guys who do it now but some of those kids will hurt themselves doing manual stuff. We have AmericaCorp and Teach for America, which allows kids to pay off loans with public service, and they get a small stipend to live on as they go. They get placed not just in schools, but in natl parks and such. It's a good idea. Preferable to the dems' present desire to just give kids 4 years free loafing after HS

College is not free loafing if the students are held accountable for classes they do not pass. But I agree, let's get some public service out of them.

I dunno. Reagan got annoyed with the Calif Kids who got 4 years free tuition and no degree. And, I agreed.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

Provocative and a great OP. 500 hours mandatory public service for a first year tuition at a public institution.

Yeah.. awesome... that's what Honduras does. Great model... 12.5 weeks work for a year's worth of tuition,

Then make it 2,000, son: whatever is right. I see you are using your sigil as an end signature.

And what are you going to do when they refuse to perform the work? Round 'em up like slaves and force them to work?

It's a dumb idea.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

I'm not sure an 18 yr old fresh out of HS has that much to give. Sure, he could mow school lawns, and clean off snow .... but that involves a whole set of head aches not just from the guys who do it now but some of those kids will hurt themselves doing manual stuff. We have AmericaCorp and Teach for America, which allows kids to pay off loans with public service, and they get a small stipend to live on as they go. They get placed not just in schools, but in natl parks and such. It's a good idea. Preferable to the dems' present desire to just give kids 4 years free loafing after HS

College is not free loafing if the students are held accountable for classes they do not pass. But I agree, let's get some public service out of them.

I dunno. Reagan got annoyed with the Calif Kids who got 4 years free tuition and no degree. And, I agreed.

Of course... until you have skin in the game, isn't really that valuable. To many kids see it as way to avoid reality for another 4 - 8 years and screwoff on somebody else's dime. We've created a nation of Van Wilders.

 

[bendog]

I'm not sure an 18 yr old fresh out of HS has that much to give. Sure, he could mow school lawns, and clean off snow .... but that involves a whole set of head aches not just from the guys who do it now but some of those kids will hurt themselves doing manual stuff. We have AmericaCorp and Teach for America, which allows kids to pay off loans with public service, and they get a small stipend to live on as they go. They get placed not just in schools, but in natl parks and such. It's a good idea. Preferable to the dems' present desire to just give kids 4 years free loafing after HS

College is not free loafing if the students are held accountable for classes they do not pass. But I agree, let's get some public service out of them.

I dunno. Reagan got annoyed with the Calif Kids who got 4 years free tuition and no degree. And, I agreed.

Of course... until you have skin in the game, isn't really that valuable. To many kids see it as way to avoid reality for another 4 - 8 years and screwoff on somebody else's dime. We've created a nation of Van Wilders.

Well, we haven't done that. The education funding system for college is seriously out of whack. We have kids of lesser skills and lesser earners maxing out Pell Grants in community colleges, and borrowing money, with no intention of getting a degree or paying back the money. Then, for kids of lesser earners who get degrees, they come out saddled with debt. And then you have kids and parents who don't qualify at all for Pells, who really would like to exterminate the folks in that first group.