CDZ “National Service” Should we Consider It?

[2aguy]

The question arises in my mind (again) after reading a piece on the Brookings website about the subject. In that case, the author suggests one year, military or other. I personally feel it should be two.

Bubba Clinton, when not busy chasing after skirts, established the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), an agency overseeing AmeriCorps and other volunteer services. Read about it @ Corporation for National and Community Service It appears to be just another one of those agencies with lofty goals and little else.

But, the idea has always interested me. In order to fully appreciate this country, one needs to see what others have – here and abroad. How many are born and raised in a neighborhood and never see anywhere else but, perhaps, a college campus? How many have been to the gray areas of coal country? Or even the slums of your own hometown? How many have served in soup kitchens. Or community outreach programs. And, better yet, how many have served in uniform?

I don’t know how such a program would work. I do know that it should be for everyone – regardless of sex. Two years of ones choice after taking a sort of IQ test to determine skills and apptitudes.

What do you think?

Anyhow, the article that got me thinking is It’s time to make national service a universal commitment @ It’s time to make national service a universal commitment

It was a way for clinton to get left wingers money...to donate back to democrats...and to indoctrinate young people into being worshipping the government.....

There should be no mandated national service....it should be encouraged to help others....but we do not work for the government....the government works for us...and it doesn't do anything well or efficiently.......these ideas to force people to work for the government, no matter how lofty they are, are a bad idea.....they encourage seeing the government in a way that is destructive of freedom.

 

[Alexanderful]

This was/is a good idea. I almost entered national service because I had relatives in the military. Unfortunately, we had a skunk for a president then, Nixon, so I declined because he would have been my "leader." Now we have a whore in the Oval Office. It would be good for everyone to serve our nation, but we have to make sure that our leaders are decent and honorable first.

Serving your country is bigger than whoever happens to be the elected leader at the time. Your mindset is you will serve IF you happen to like your President? If everyone thought like you that would be pretty sad. For the record, I'm a solid conservative and proudly served our country for 18 years and counting under Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump...makes no difference to me!

I will NOT take orders from a reagan or a trump. I have better respect for myself and my fellow Americans.

Your response shows you really don’t understand the meaning of service to the nation. The president was elected by your fellow Americans so certainly your excuse not to serve isn’t out of respect for your “fellow Americans”. The key to your response was in the word MYSELF. You fall into one of the masses that both the right and the left has managed to convince that nothing is more important than the title of your political party. This keeps your vote coming in year after year without too much work. Fortunately there are still many of us that understand that service and politics are separate issues.

 

[Alexanderful]

Excellent idea! There are many great ways to serve and everyone could find an option that fit their values and goals. But maybe instead of compulsory (I'm a little averse to govt forcing people to do stuff) why not make it a condition of receiving social security or other govt benefits? If you choose not to serve fine nobody is going to lock you up...but you don't get the bonus benefits either

why not make it a condition of receiving social security or other govt benefits?

Social Security:

Because implicit in doing so is a notion that SSI benefits are a gift, which they overwhelmingly are not.

Social insurance provides a method for addressing the problem of economic security in the context of modern industrial societies. The concept of social insurance is that individuals contribute to a central fund managed by governments, and this fund is then used to provide income to individuals when they become unable to support themselves through their own labors.​

• Social Security: A Program and Policy History
• The Development of Social Security in America
• Eligibility and Participation in SSI
• Social Security History

Moreover, adding the constraint you suggest is to effectively assert to workers that they must endure SSI being withheld from their wages, yet unless and until they perform some sort of national service, they will never recover that money. Who's going to cotton to such a thing? It's conceptually no different than depositing one's money in a CD or savings account and being told that one cannot withdraw the money until one meets a activity performance requirement.

​

Sure, the mission of the program can be changed, but I doubt there'd be much support for changing it as you've suggested.​

Other government benefits:

Without knowing what specific benefits you propose to constrain thus, I cannot say whether I think it acceptable to predicate receiving them on one's having performed national service.

• Do you mean some of the benefits listed here or perhaps here?
• Perhaps you mean the benefit of certain tax deductions?
• Do you exclusively mean entitlement benefits?

Well I agree that SS as written is an entitlement so can’t pull the rug out from people that have paid in. I was thinking more long term since SS is unsustainable anyway. But, it’s not entirely true that people are just getting their money back. If that were the case then SS could easily be replaced with mandatory payments into an IRA. People get paid much more than they pay in. But...my idea has a lot of problems with it so I withdraw it from the table

 

[Lysistrata]

This was/is a good idea. I almost entered national service because I had relatives in the military. Unfortunately, we had a skunk for a president then, Nixon, so I declined because he would have been my "leader." Now we have a whore in the Oval Office. It would be good for everyone to serve our nation, but we have to make sure that our leaders are decent and honorable first.

Serving your country is bigger than whoever happens to be the elected leader at the time. Your mindset is you will serve IF you happen to like your President? If everyone thought like you that would be pretty sad. For the record, I'm a solid conservative and proudly served our country for 18 years and counting under Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump...makes no difference to me!

I will NOT take orders from a reagan or a trump. I have better respect for myself and my fellow Americans.

Your response shows you really don’t understand the meaning of service to the nation. The president was elected by your fellow Americans so certainly your excuse not to serve isn’t out of respect for your “fellow Americans”. The key to your response was in the word MYSELF. You fall into one of the masses that both the right and the left has managed to convince that nothing is more important than the title of your political party. This keeps your vote coming in year after year without too much work. Fortunately there are still many of us that understand that service and politics are separate issues.

Bullshit. You do understand that if you are in national service, you serve at the direction of the government, don't you? The person who leads this government must be someone with high standards. A leader. Not a cheap hooker, like nixon and trump. The "president" was elected by cheating. He is a whore who has done nothing but be a whore and a con-man for his entire life. Yet the bibble-thumpers and their cows voted for him. This is why the once-proud USA is circling the drain.

 

[Darkwind]

The question arises in my mind (again) after reading a piece on the Brookings website about the subject. In that case, the author suggests one year, military or other. I personally feel it should be two.

Bubba Clinton, when not busy chasing after skirts, established the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), an agency overseeing AmeriCorps and other volunteer services. Read about it @ Corporation for National and Community Service It appears to be just another one of those agencies with lofty goals and little else.

But, the idea has always interested me. In order to fully appreciate this country, one needs to see what others have – here and abroad. How many are born and raised in a neighborhood and never see anywhere else but, perhaps, a college campus? How many have been to the gray areas of coal country? Or even the slums of your own hometown? How many have served in soup kitchens. Or community outreach programs. And, better yet, how many have served in uniform?

I don’t know how such a program would work. I do know that it should be for everyone – regardless of sex. Two years of ones choice after taking a sort of IQ test to determine skills and apptitudes.

What do you think?

Anyhow, the article that got me thinking is It’s time to make national service a universal commitment @ It’s time to make national service a universal commitment

Forced service instills resentment and all the associated negative issues that go with it.

It is like mandatory volunteerism. If it is mandatory, it isn't voluntary and is wrong.

No one should be forced to serve. Those who are in the service will be the first to say that they don't want to have their backs being protected by someone who doesn't even want to be there.

The biggest problem we have in this nation is that it has become acceptable to trash this country using only part of the history.

The simple truth is, people who have been taught to hate a country won't stand and defend it.

 

[Darkwind]

This was/is a good idea. I almost entered national service because I had relatives in the military. Unfortunately, we had a skunk for a president then, Nixon, so I declined because he would have been my "leader." Now we have a whore in the Oval Office. It would be good for everyone to serve our nation, but we have to make sure that our leaders are decent and honorable first.

Serving your country is bigger than whoever happens to be the elected leader at the time. Your mindset is you will serve IF you happen to like your President? If everyone thought like you that would be pretty sad. For the record, I'm a solid conservative and proudly served our country for 18 years and counting under Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump...makes no difference to me!

I will NOT take orders from a reagan or a trump. I have better respect for myself and my fellow Americans.

Your response shows you really don’t understand the meaning of service to the nation. The president was elected by your fellow Americans so certainly your excuse not to serve isn’t out of respect for your “fellow Americans”. The key to your response was in the word MYSELF. You fall into one of the masses that both the right and the left has managed to convince that nothing is more important than the title of your political party. This keeps your vote coming in year after year without too much work. Fortunately there are still many of us that understand that service and politics are separate issues.

Bullshit. You do understand that if you are in national service, you serve at the direction of the government, don't you? The person who leads this government must be someone with high standards. A leader. Not a cheap hooker, like nixon and trump. The "president" was elected by cheating. He is a whore who has done nothing but be a whore and a con-man for his entire life. Yet the bibble-thumpers and their cows voted for him. This is why the once-proud USA is circling the drain.

The first thing you have to understand is that the person who leads this country is the one that won the election. Obama was no leader, had no moral values, and used government poorly for political purposes.

 

[Anathema]

YES!!! Three years for everyone. Starts the day after your eighteenth birthday or high school graduation/drop out, whichever is later.

We should use thus workforce to fill almost all clerical and entry level positions in most Federal departments. Those seeking military postings would be expected to give four years, minimum.

Successful completion of thus time would grant the individual Citizenship and Voting Rights.

 

[Alexanderful]

This was/is a good idea. I almost entered national service because I had relatives in the military. Unfortunately, we had a skunk for a president then, Nixon, so I declined because he would have been my "leader." Now we have a whore in the Oval Office. It would be good for everyone to serve our nation, but we have to make sure that our leaders are decent and honorable first.

Serving your country is bigger than whoever happens to be the elected leader at the time. Your mindset is you will serve IF you happen to like your President? If everyone thought like you that would be pretty sad. For the record, I'm a solid conservative and proudly served our country for 18 years and counting under Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump...makes no difference to me!

I will NOT take orders from a reagan or a trump. I have better respect for myself and my fellow Americans.

Your response shows you really don’t understand the meaning of service to the nation. The president was elected by your fellow Americans so certainly your excuse not to serve isn’t out of respect for your “fellow Americans”. The key to your response was in the word MYSELF. You fall into one of the masses that both the right and the left has managed to convince that nothing is more important than the title of your political party. This keeps your vote coming in year after year without too much work. Fortunately there are still many of us that understand that service and politics are separate issues.

Bullshit. You do understand that if you are in national service, you serve at the direction of the government, don't you? The person who leads this government must be someone with high standards. A leader. Not a cheap hooker, like nixon and trump. The "president" was elected by cheating. He is a whore who has done nothing but be a whore and a con-man for his entire life. Yet the bibble-thumpers and their cows voted for him. This is why the once-proud USA is circling the drain.

Alright I will have to cut this one loose. Anger, insults, and general ranting is no substitute for thoughtful discussion and seems to be the security blanket of too many on the left. I do have to point out that it is a bit ironic that you lament that America was "once-proud" but reject the mindset that made it proud. But, you have found a forum to spew your anger and I hope it helps you self-soothe but ultimately its destructive to you and the fabric of our nation.

 

[Lysistrata]

This was/is a good idea. I almost entered national service because I had relatives in the military. Unfortunately, we had a skunk for a president then, Nixon, so I declined because he would have been my "leader." Now we have a whore in the Oval Office. It would be good for everyone to serve our nation, but we have to make sure that our leaders are decent and honorable first.

Serving your country is bigger than whoever happens to be the elected leader at the time. Your mindset is you will serve IF you happen to like your President? If everyone thought like you that would be pretty sad. For the record, I'm a solid conservative and proudly served our country for 18 years and counting under Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump...makes no difference to me!

I will NOT take orders from a reagan or a trump. I have better respect for myself and my fellow Americans.

Your response shows you really don’t understand the meaning of service to the nation. The president was elected by your fellow Americans so certainly your excuse not to serve isn’t out of respect for your “fellow Americans”. The key to your response was in the word MYSELF. You fall into one of the masses that both the right and the left has managed to convince that nothing is more important than the title of your political party. This keeps your vote coming in year after year without too much work. Fortunately there are still many of us that understand that service and politics are separate issues.

Bullshit. You do understand that if you are in national service, you serve at the direction of the government, don't you? The person who leads this government must be someone with high standards. A leader. Not a cheap hooker, like nixon and trump. The "president" was elected by cheating. He is a whore who has done nothing but be a whore and a con-man for his entire life. Yet the bibble-thumpers and their cows voted for him. This is why the once-proud USA is circling the drain.

The first thing you have to understand is that the person who leads this country is the one that won the election. Obama was no leader, had no moral values, and used government poorly for political purposes.

President Obama was/is an educated gentleman. A worthy American who served with honor. Now we have someone who has never had any values. he is just a political bitch with no honor and no decency who is out to destroy our nation. Trash.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

YES!!! Three years for everyone. Starts the day after your eighteenth birthday or high school graduation/drop out, whichever is later.

We should use thus workforce to fill almost all clerical and entry level positions in most Federal departments. Those seeking military postings would be expected to give four years, minimum.

Successful completion of thus time would grant the individual Citizenship and Voting Rights.

And those who object to being slaves can sabotage everything they are told to do.

 

[Darkwind]

Serving your country is bigger than whoever happens to be the elected leader at the time. Your mindset is you will serve IF you happen to like your President? If everyone thought like you that would be pretty sad. For the record, I'm a solid conservative and proudly served our country for 18 years and counting under Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump...makes no difference to me!

I will NOT take orders from a reagan or a trump. I have better respect for myself and my fellow Americans.

Your response shows you really don’t understand the meaning of service to the nation. The president was elected by your fellow Americans so certainly your excuse not to serve isn’t out of respect for your “fellow Americans”. The key to your response was in the word MYSELF. You fall into one of the masses that both the right and the left has managed to convince that nothing is more important than the title of your political party. This keeps your vote coming in year after year without too much work. Fortunately there are still many of us that understand that service and politics are separate issues.

Bullshit. You do understand that if you are in national service, you serve at the direction of the government, don't you? The person who leads this government must be someone with high standards. A leader. Not a cheap hooker, like nixon and trump. The "president" was elected by cheating. He is a whore who has done nothing but be a whore and a con-man for his entire life. Yet the bibble-thumpers and their cows voted for him. This is why the once-proud USA is circling the drain.

The first thing you have to understand is that the person who leads this country is the one that won the election. Obama was no leader, had no moral values, and used government poorly for political purposes.

President Obama was/is an educated gentleman. A worthy American who served with honor. Now we have someone who has never had any values. he is just a political bitch with no honor and no decency who is out to destroy our nation. Trash.

If that gets you through your day. Obama held no solid American values, weaponized many functions of government, and held beliefs that sounded good in a classroom but failed utterly in practical application.

There was nothing decent or honorable about the man.

 

[danielpalos]

The question arises in my mind (again) after reading a piece on the Brookings website about the subject. In that case, the author suggests one year, military or other. I personally feel it should be two.

Bubba Clinton, when not busy chasing after skirts, established the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), an agency overseeing AmeriCorps and other volunteer services. Read about it @ Corporation for National and Community Service It appears to be just another one of those agencies with lofty goals and little else.

But, the idea has always interested me. In order to fully appreciate this country, one needs to see what others have – here and abroad. How many are born and raised in a neighborhood and never see anywhere else but, perhaps, a college campus? How many have been to the gray areas of coal country? Or even the slums of your own hometown? How many have served in soup kitchens. Or community outreach programs. And, better yet, how many have served in uniform?

I don’t know how such a program would work. I do know that it should be for everyone – regardless of sex. Two years of ones choice after taking a sort of IQ test to determine skills and apptitudes.

What do you think?

Anyhow, the article that got me thinking is It’s time to make national service a universal commitment @ It’s time to make national service a universal commitment

We have a Second Amendment.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

Serving your country is bigger than whoever happens to be the elected leader at the time. Your mindset is you will serve IF you happen to like your President? If everyone thought like you that would be pretty sad. For the record, I'm a solid conservative and proudly served our country for 18 years and counting under Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump...makes no difference to me!

I will NOT take orders from a reagan or a trump. I have better respect for myself and my fellow Americans.

Your response shows you really don’t understand the meaning of service to the nation. The president was elected by your fellow Americans so certainly your excuse not to serve isn’t out of respect for your “fellow Americans”. The key to your response was in the word MYSELF. You fall into one of the masses that both the right and the left has managed to convince that nothing is more important than the title of your political party. This keeps your vote coming in year after year without too much work. Fortunately there are still many of us that understand that service and politics are separate issues.

Bullshit. You do understand that if you are in national service, you serve at the direction of the government, don't you? The person who leads this government must be someone with high standards. A leader. Not a cheap hooker, like nixon and trump. The "president" was elected by cheating. He is a whore who has done nothing but be a whore and a con-man for his entire life. Yet the bibble-thumpers and their cows voted for him. This is why the once-proud USA is circling the drain.

The first thing you have to understand is that the person who leads this country is the one that won the election. Obama was no leader, had no moral values, and used government poorly for political purposes.

President Obama was/is an educated gentleman. A worthy American who served with honor. Now we have someone who has never had any values. he is just a political bitch with no honor and no decency who is out to destroy our nation. Trash.

obama was never anything worthwhile. That's why it is so important that President Trump undo every thing obumble did from his first day to his last.

 

[jasonnfree]

YES!!! Three years for everyone. Starts the day after your eighteenth birthday or high school graduation/drop out, whichever is later.

We should use thus workforce to fill almost all clerical and entry level positions in most Federal departments. Those seeking military postings would be expected to give four years, minimum.

Successful completion of thus time would grant the individual Citizenship and Voting
Rights.

So no citizenship or voting rights till a few years of wage busting at minimum wage? And what happens to the government workers who are displaced? Do they get some type of unemployment, tied of course to their willingness to train these low wage and inexperienced youngsters?

 

[EvilCat Breath]

Some will use their station to peddle drugs or sex to their fellow slaves. And some will enjoy the discomfort they can spread around.

 

[Anathema]

And those who object to being slaves can sabotage everything they are told to do.

That' why you only use these people in ENTRY LEVEL positions. Military service by request only.

They're gonna sabotague the USPS or the DOT? Aren't they already as fucked up as possible?

 

[Anathema]

So no citizenship or voting rights till a few years of wage busting at minimum wage? And what happens to the government workers who are displaced? Do they get some type of unemployment, tied of course to their willingness to train these low wage and inexperienced youngsters?

You displace the ones at the upper end of the Department's, retiring them. The competent lower ranks move up. The incompetent ones get fired.

 

[danielpalos]

Some will use their station to peddle drugs or sex to their fellow slaves. And some will enjoy the discomfort they can spread around.

Not me. I have a happy camper policy.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

So no citizenship or voting rights till a few years of wage busting at minimum wage? And what happens to the government workers who are displaced? Do they get some type of unemployment, tied of course to their willingness to train these low wage and inexperienced youngsters?

You displace the ones at the upper end of the Department's, retiring them. The competent lower ranks move up. The incompetent ones get fired.

How can they get fired? They are slaves, unpaid "volunteers" in national service.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

And those who object to being slaves can sabotage everything they are told to do.

That' why you only use these people in ENTRY LEVEL positions. Military service by request only.

They're gonna sabotague the USPS or the DOT? Aren't they already as fucked up as possible?

Oh it's quite easy. You work on the people until they are rabid and at each other's throats.