Civil War-era conscription sparked riots in New York
Both Barack Obama and John McCain have long supported some sort of "national service" that involves large-scale participation by Americans in projects deemed worthy by a government agency. It may mean building housing, assisting with the provision of medical care or patrolling the border, but overall it involves putting aside personal preferences for, as McCain puts it, "a cause greater than yourself."
Obama devotes an entire section of his campaign Website to national service; McCain does the same and penned a column back in 2001 praising AmeriCorps and calling for expanded opportunities for government-sanctioned service. Both candidates recently appeared at a national service forum sponsored by Time magazine, which has made the issue its house hobbyhorse. McCain and Obama each have praised local volunteerism, but seem to think that donating your time to a soup kitchen, a clinic or a church is less valuable than participation in a grand-scale scheme managed by the state.
I have a lot of thoughts about politicians who deem hours spent in grassroots service to causes chosen freely by volunteers to be inferior to government programs run from D.C., but I'll hold my tongue -- for now. What does interest me, though, is whether all of this talk of "national service" means that the grand old days of conscription are about to return, though now with draftees stuffed into hospital scrubs and denim as often as they're required to don camouflage.
McCain was once an advocate of the draft, though, as far as I can tell, he's uttered nary a word in favor of conscription since he started pursuing residency in the White House. The national service section of his Website is full of talk of opportunities and incentives -- lots of carrot, but no stick. Whatever his personal feelings, he seems to understand that draft boards are no longer compatible with presidential ambitions.
At first glance, Obama's scheme is similar. His proposal even specifically refers to "universal voluntary citizen service." It's all very touchy-feelly. But, as Michael Kinsley put it so well in the pages of Time: "Problem number one with grand schemes for universal voluntary public service is that they can't be both universal and voluntary. If everybody has to do it, then it's not voluntary, is it? And if it's truly up to the individual, then it won't be universal."
Of course, Barack Obama could be playing the usual politician's game of throwing empty words at an audience, without worrying overly much about their meaning. But his campaign has put forward a detailed plan for national service, and on close inspection, it's clear that he really does mean "universal." And while there's no call for old-fashioned conscription, his national service carrots are matched by very modern sticks that introduce almost as much compulsion as the old kind.
In fact, Obama's national service plan is "voluntary" in a technical sense -- nobody will be arrested for declining to participate. But non-participants also won't be allowed to graduate from high school, and without those diplomas, life could get a bit rough.
Obama's national service plan (PDF) says:
Schools that require service as part of the educational experience create improved learning environments and serve as resources for their communities. The Obama-Biden plan sets a goal for all students to engage in service, with middle and high school students performing 50 hours of service each year, and college students performing 100 hours of service each year. Under this plan, students would graduate college with as many as 17 weeks of public service experience under their belts.
But schools set their own policies, don't they? Well ... sort of. You see, as the saying goes, "he who takes the king's coin becomes the king's man." And most public schools depend on federal dollars. As Obama elaborated in a speech last December, "At the middle and high school level, we'll make federal assistance conditional on school districts developing service programs, and give schools resources to offer new service opportunities."
So, it won't be the nasty federal government forcing your kids to donate their time to government-approved service, it'll be the local schools -- but that requirement will be the among the strings attached to federal money.
This is a very modern way of imposing mandates from the top down. The uniform 21-year-old national drinking age, for instance, is nominally the choice of each state government, not a federal law. But the states set the age at 21 as a condition of continuing to receive a full measure of federal highway funds. The same goes for the late, unlamented 55mph speed limit.
Of course, state and local agencies could choose to give up the checks from D.C., but they almost never do. And so, violations of federal policies get punished by state and local authorities.
Under Barack Obama's plan, a refusal to participate in a national service program touted at the federal level will be punished by the withholding of high school diplomas by the school district in your town. And without that diploma, few colleges or employers will even bother to look at your application.
It's a softer sort of authoritarianism which requires no draft boards, muddles the identity of the "bad guy" and produces no martyrs in handcuffs for the evening news. You just can't get a job if you don't do as you're told.
Such "soft" mandates are easier to escape than the old draft. Private schools will still be able to set their own criteria for graduation, as will homeschoolers. At least, they will so long as they can resist social pressure to conform to the requirements imposed by public schools.
And 50 hours of service isn't exactly a tour in the rice paddies. Most people will just roll their eyes and do what it takes to get that diploma. (The 100 hours required of college students will be in return for a $4,000 grant, which amounts less to conscription than to the world's most expensive work-study scheme.)
But make no mistake: Barack Obama wants your kids. And he's willing to draft them, in a plausibly deniable way.
John McCain: "Putting the 'national' in national service"
Comments
Universal in that all Americans agree to participate. Voluntary in terms of which service one chooses to participate. Idiot!
"You just can't get a job if you don't do as you're told."
The public high school system already works this way. Students spend plenty of time taking tests and completing tasks with debatable relevance in order to get that diploma and compete in the job market.
When my son had to do his mandatory voluntary service to get out of high school, I wanted him to work a gun show signing up new NRA members. The school said NO. I then asked if he could work at a fair signing up new voters for the Democrat party. The school said YES.
Go figure.
Many students already are required to do community service as a condition of graduation, and frankly 50 hours is miniscule compared to what they must do now, or even what I had to do to get out of 8th grade 11 years ago.
Let's face it: we already do this, it's called standardized testing. Sure, you don't have to study. BUT if you don't get the marks you should be getting, you won't leave high school, and then you won't get into the colleges that will give you the degrees that are basically required in the job market now.
Besides, atleast with this plan you can choose your method of participation, unlike testing: SATs, ACTs, or the HSPTs (here in jersey).
If you want grants to go to school, get off your couch, put down the Wii, and work for it like everyone before you has had to do. Volunteering is easier than paying student loans, and it looks damn good on a resume.
Soon blood runs in the streets in the 2nd Civil War.
Um, are you all kidding? There's a difference between a local school requiring service and the federal government requiring service. Even if this wasn't a step towards a military draft, this is still a gross violation of individual liberty. Stand up for yourselves!
The poster below me has it closest to the truth.
Any one who thinks 50 hours or even 100 hours is no big deal should keep in mind that all it would take is one major crisis to turn that concept into Universal National Service, with govt. bureaucrats deciding who gets assigned to civilian and domestic projects and who gets sent overseas to kill or be killed.
Obama also wants 18 yr. old girls to signup for selective service..I smell a draft coming.
Anyone that voted for Obama, should have researched him. Many of us tried to tell them what never made it into the media...you had to research yourselves!!!
Of course, they berated us, called us every name in the book, and now they will reap what they sowed.
Involuntary servitude is prohibited by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
But the Constitution is without force these days. So we get forced altruism and the destruction of individualism.
mmmm 2 part time jobs, class, study, thesis AND 100 hours of community service....he already said his civilian corps is going to be funded at the level of the military (i guess after the budget cuts, new weapon technology and banning space defense) making a wierd quasi governmental web of "volenteer" stations....bush messed up when he said to go shopping, but im not sure this was a nessesary response....
mmmm 2 part time jobs, class, study, thesis AND 100 hours of community service....he already said his civilian corps is going to be funded at the level of the military (i guess after the budget cuts, new weapon technology and banning space defense) making a wierd quasi governmental web of "volenteer" stations....bush messed up when he said to go shopping, but im not sure this was a nessesary response....
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE..I am proud of being unable to have children" "
Is this a bill would be discussed like in Congress or did we "elected' him like a king or a fuhrer?
I would think it only volunteer, so not any SS cards. The boys already have a SS#.
For a freshman that only saying "present" in 142 days, maybe he should debated his thoughts. A refusal to participate in a national service program touted at the federal level will be punished by the withholding of high school diplomas by the school district in your town. "And without that diploma, few colleges or employers will even bother to look at your application." BLACK LISTED at a tender age.
Is this a bill would be discussed like in Congress or did we "elected' him like a king or a fuhrer?
I would think it only volunteer, so not any SS cards. The boys already have a SS#.
For a freshman that only saying "present" in 142 days, maybe he should debated his thoughts. A refusal to participate in a national service program touted at the federal level will be punished by the withholding of high school diplomas by the school district in your town. "And without that diploma, few colleges or employers will even bother to look at your application." BLACK LISTED at a tender age.
What do you mean No Forcing?
Do you know how many times the worded is changed? Now its worded, "The Obama-Biden plan sets a goal for all students to engage in service, with middle and high school students performing 50 hours of service each year, and college students performing 100 hours of service each year. Under this plan, students would graduate college with as many as 17 weeks of public service experience under their belts." This is forcing, where do you see, "a bill would be discussed like in Congress.." It's taken over by the Democrats who like a lot of you worship this man as their messiah. Where do any of you see, free will, may volunteer? This will be forced upon all who are 18-25. It's never a good idea if it's being forced. It's a "goal for all, not just some." But you people want to be blind, because you voted for this who ever he is as your leader. So theirfore, all those who voted for him should be "required" or "demanded" to serve in this More government program. All who voted against him and Christians who oppose serving the government for any reason must be exempt.
What do you mean No Forcing?
Do you know how many times the wording has changed? Now its worded, "The Obama-Biden plan sets a goal for all students to engage in service, with middle and high school students performing 50 hours of service each year, and college students performing 100 hours of service each year. Under this plan, students would graduate college with as many as 17 weeks of public service experience under their belts." This is forcing, where do you see, "a bill would be discussed like in Congress.." It's taken over by the Democrats who like a lot of you worship this man as their messiah. Where do any of you see, free will, may volunteer? This will be forced upon all who are 18-25. It's never a good idea if it's being forced. It's a "goal for all, not just some." But you people want to be blind, because you voted for this who ever he is as your leader. So therefore, all those who voted for him should be "required" or "demanded" to serve in this More government program. All who voted against him and Christians who oppose serving the government for any reason must be exempt.
Now they even want to make a special holiday in Obama's honor. The USA could very well start looking like the communist country where they have the dictators picture painted and mounted on all the walls and inside many buildings. They have removed the 10 commands maybe they will replace them with pictures of Obama. Just think inside of all the schools hangs a picture of Obama.
I would like to know where the kids of today are going to fit all this time into their little lives.. With as much homework they are given today and so much academic pressure shoved down their throats today. Kids are allowed to be kids anymore.. Remember the movie "Another Brick in the Wall"... Here it is kids live and in person on the front lawns of America. Now they won't a National Holiday to Honor his name.. OMG pretty soon there will be statue like Sadam Hussein smack dab in the middle of DC. THIS CRAP HAS THE DRAFT WRITTEN ALL OVER IT. WHAT DO THESE LIBERAL HIPPIES OF YESTERYEAR THINK NOW!!!
I would like to know where the kids of today are going to fit all this time into their little lives.. With as much homework they are given today and so much academic pressure shoved down their throats today. Kids aren't allowed to be kids anymore.. Remember the movie "Another Brick in the Wall"... Here it is kids live and in person on the front lawns of America. Now they want a National Holiday to Honor his name.. OMG pretty soon there will be statue like Sadam Hussein smack dab in the middle of DC. THIS CRAP HAS THE DRAFT WRITTEN ALL OVER IT. WHAT DO THESE LIBERAL HIPPIES OF YESTERYEAR THINK NOW!!!
November 10, 2:02 PM
hey,call it what you want.if they stop your child from graduating because they did not perform said task,it's forced labor.smarted up sheep.this is child slavery on a small scale.best part is,none of you sheeple seem to remember that same old game:start small,end large.have fun, i am childless,my seed will not be under the control of this "free" country that turned liberty into tyranny.
i would like to retract the "you sheeple" part...i don't mean to aim it everyone.this is a sad time in america,we have allowed them to turn us into a beast with no control.
Once you get past the obvious Hitler's Youth parallels, this thing is just unrealistic. Not every "child" has an idealized life. In fact, I've worked in public schools, so I can tell you that most do not. I don't like the characterization of 18 to 25-year olds as "children" or "kids." These are young adults with struggles - enough struggles already! It's time for the government to "give back" - it's time for them to "give our money back" and stop robbing the public and then witholding the money like thugs.
It's so sad to hear one side vote Barrack the other McCain as if the outcome would be different on either side. It's not what this candidate supports or that candidate supports, it that the 4th Reich behind the scenes, the shadow government, of which Bush, Obama, McCain, Billary (as in both of em'), Reagan, Carter all the way back to through the 70's. And lets not forget every candidate on both sides Edwards, Kerry, basically all the candidates minus Ron Paul or Dennis Kucinich are all in the same banker's pockets. None of them or different. None of the have your best interests in mind. No difference not a one! Look at the Bankers and the Federal Reserve and the English oligarchy if you want to see who's making the policy calls. As far as I am concerned they can keep their worthless diplomas and I highly suggest all of you guard your children from the brain wash propaganda of these tyrants and teach them the truth about the corrupted nature of the federal government, their thug money collectors the IRS, their spies the CIA, their secret security FBI and Homeland, their no-fly lists and wiretaps listening for dissenting verbal patterns like incriminating needles in a hay stack, and of course soon to be "voluntary" military trained youth of tomorrow / The Obama Youth... Yes somebody mentioned Hitler Youth I am seeing very little difference at this point.
Right now 75% of young American's 17-24 are ineligible for military service. The three main reasons... too ignorant (no high school diploma), a criminal record or too fat and out of shape (or a combination thereof).
What's the point? That our country is fast losing it's place as "best country in the world."
Now is not the time to act like spoiled children looking for a free ride from Mom and Dad. Now is the time to look for ways to insure that our young people are raised to be self sufficient, compassionate citizens with a well rounded range of experience and knowledge.
The best education you don't get from books. And you also don't get it "cherry picking" what you are, or aren't willing to expose yourself to. Minds work best when open.
National Service is a great idea though, in these times, not as "American" as being a big whiner.
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