Is Obama Missing the National Service Moment?
The Obama administration may be about to squander a historic opportunity. By all reports, the economic recovery plan doesn't include a large-scale national service program.
Franklin Roosevelt viewed the Civilian Conservation Corps as an essential part of the New Deal, and it became one of its most popular programs. It was, Roosevelt said, "killing two birds with one stone. We are clearly enhancing the value of our natural resources and second, we are relieving an appreciable amount of actual distress."
Too often, modern politicians have viewed national service as a lovely little "worthwhile program," certainly a swell idea but not something that trumps the critical business of saving the economy.
That's the wrong way of looking at it.
First, the current economic collapse affects not only the unemployed auto-worker but his 21-year old daughter just out of college and unable to find a job. In hard times, applications to full-time community service programs increase, as other post-college options whither. Already, two out of three people who want to serve in AmeriCorps are being turned away from full time domestic service programs.The youth unemployment rate (ages 16-19) is now more than 20%.
Second, these service workers can be a critical part of meeting Obama's recovery goals. National service members can work on permanent and cost effective national improvements such as energy efficiency or improving schools.
A major national service program would also boost the struggling charitable sector, which is facing its own economic catastrophe: in many places, need for services is rising as donations are falling. Full-time national service workers are an in-kind subsidy to non-profits. Most AmeriCorps members do not work for the government, they work for charities like Habitat for Humanity or Red Cross, often helping to manage unpaid, occasional volunteers. Last year, 75,000 AmeriCorps members recruited more than 1.7 million volunteers, according to the Corporation for National Service. National service is a force-multiplier.
Most important, a national service program could help achieve another Obama campaign pledge that otherwise may prove too vague and ephemeral. He's talked about building bridges among Americans. That's nice but he can't do that just through speeches.
Common action breaks down barriers better than talk. Conservative churchgoers and secular liberals end up respecting the sincerity of each other's beliefs when they work together to feed the hungry. Race relations improve more when black, white and brown together save a drowning city than when they attend sensitivity workshops. Interfaith dialogue is less effective than interfaith house-building. And those from military families and those raised by, say, environmental activists will find mutual respect by working together to care for veterans or solve other critical problems.
In fact, the call for service shouldn't be limited to AmeriCorps. Imagine, for the first time ever, a national recruitment drive for all forms of service. Unlike past efforts, this significant recruitment effort - including YouTube videos, Facebook applications, mobile phones etc -- should call people to serve in the military, the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, senior corps, as well as private or faith-based service programs such as the Jesuit Volunteer Corps.
Oh, and by the standards of this economic recovery package, national service is dirt cheap. According to press reports, the economic recovery will cost around $800 billion and create 3 million jobs. By contrast, fielding a full-time AmeriCorps member costs the government somewhere between $11,000-$20,000 including an $4,725 educational scholarship, substantially cheaper than the infrastructure jobs.
So for a miniscule fraction of the recovery plan, we could field roughly 250,000 national service corps members (what Obama promised to do in the campaign, by the way). Add a few billion more, and wrap together military, overseas and private service, and Uncle Sam could finally make a simple, historic, transformative statement: "anyone who wants to serve their country or community in full time service - and then earn money for education - can do so."
A massive, voluntary national service program would accomplish both hard goals -- trees planted, houses weatherized etc -- but a soft goal as well: planting forever the idea in the minds of most young people (and many seniors) that one of the most fulfilling and useful things they could do is serve their nation for a year or two. We're in a crisis. Rather than the government just stepping in, shouldn't we be giving idealistic young people the chance to help solve problems?
This idea may not seem as concrete as a bridge project but in its own way it could be even more durable.
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Why do you need Government... the "State" to do this stuff? There's nothing new here, America was built on the back of vision and initiative. If you (you-all) want to do this stuff, go do it! PE-O and the rest in DC can't do it nearly as efficiently and effectively as you.
I do my thing now... just do it!
You mean, "Is Obama missing a National Slavery Moment." I was drafted in 1969 for a war. I do not want my family drafted for a peace.
Seek and you shall find. Let's keep national service on the front burner in spite of all the flak it's bound to catch as "socialism". National service in VISTA was a great experience for me.
Great Idea! BUT! First someone best readjust the "culture" as most would not consider national service, unions would object along with corp usa. This is a whole new nation that by and large, over last 30 years has been "what's in it for me". We fill our roads with those waving (their imported flags) while the troops go off, time after time to war.. and none seem overly concerned, nor participate. Good luck on "service for the nation"..unless most can find someone else to go for them!
I've just recently retired ( more about that at www.forthefirstime.ca )and am already searching for meaningful ways to give back to my community. I'm sure that I'm not alone in this. Some form of "service" that would enable retirees to share their valuable skills and experience is a great idea. I think, though, that Obama thinks larger than most of us do. What would really be great would be to establish a way to do service without limiting it to the borders of a particular country. Why not have Canadians helping in the US where/when it's needed, Americans helping in China, Australians helping in Canada and so on and so on. Nothing brings people together, and builds better connections, than reaching us to each other. What do you think?
Then you should check out the website the Obama Administration launched today: www.usaservice.org. At least in my area there are a ton of opportunities to volunteer!
How would you compare this to the Peace Corp? Are you saying the volunteering would be for shorter periods of time?
Is it time to think about (for those of us who are professionals) giving one day a month or per quarter to help others professionally, especially those who recently lost their job or their house?
As a family therapist, should I have one day per month set aside to help couples with troubled marriages and charge them no fee whatsoever? I am thinking that President Obama and his administration are going to need all the help they can get! www.FamilyThinking.com
I can not express to you how horrible this idea is. When Obama is discussing this issue, I truly believe that he wants people to be more involved in politics and other daily issues. (PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOUR LEADERS ARE DOING TO YOU!) The participation he requests seems to be on a voluntary local or state level. I DO AGREE that people need to participate in society more but the United States resembles all countries that have big, authoritarian societies. All the citizens take out their frustration and anger on each other instead of the real culprits of our problem, LARGE CORPORATIONS and the GOVERNMENT. This will not work on any level where this activism is mandated. If it is FORCED upon the American public, it will be rejected just like paying taxes and being drafted into war. You become a subject of a government which may not have the best intentions for you. This is authoritarian socialism at its absolute worst.
Nobody is holding a gun to your head to volunteer you idiot. What's wrong with asking people to give of themselves. This website is a great way for people who want to volunteer to find opportunities... I don't remember Obama saying someone was going to come to your house and take your first born if you don't! Geez....
I could have sworn I read voluntary national service - I was unaware how similar that is to authoritarian socialism. Thanks for the heads up...
People still do not understand why America became so strong. It is because they did not need their government to make our country great. They helped and promoted each other (WITH EXCEPTIONS, OF COURSE!) Let me explain to you what will happen if we create these programs. They will appear to be voluntary at first but they need to be paid for by taxes. Then, certain rich individuals will begin complaining about government programs. After the programs prove successful, radical "liberals" will decide to take the voluntary away and make government service mandatory. Now, you are taking away people's right to self determine their future. I participate in over five different charities and support children overseas. I don't NEED MY GOVERNMENT to do this for me. Are we really this lazy?
Beautiful article! I'm waiting for the mainstream to start picking up on the Huffington Post. What a timely wake-up call. Thanks!
Doesn't anyone see the problem here? The people who are criticizing Obama for not having a public service plan are people who are not subscribed to his personal email list, and therefore aren't being kept up to date with what's going on in Obama's mind. These people, like the rest of the country who aren't part of the inner circle are waiting for Obama to make a press release or put the information out into mainstream media before they believe he's going to do what he's been telling us he's going to do for nearly 2 years.
You are right. But there is plenty of time to reestablish a Civilian Conceservation Corps (CCC) headed by someone with the know how of George C. Marshall.
In our era political operatives have instructed the bureaucrats to gather and distribute information which paints a glowing picture. Now Obama is operatiing on unemployment data that dangerously under counts the number of un- and underemployed citizens.
There is growing evidence that there is a huge and expanding underclass of lawless subversives that are intentionally and systematically sabatoging our nation's infrastructure for the promise of permanent jobs taking the essential metals and other parts from unguarded and vacant buildings and property. Such lawlessness is destroying many parts of our cities and country side. That perception supports the truth that there are milions more unemployed than are being reported.
The new president is being confronted with a catasthrophic condition that he or his academic bureaucratic advisors don't even know or have an inkling. We need leaders at all levels to come to the aid of the President.
The uthor obviously didn't get his Obama email yesterday that talked about what he plans to do as well as what others can do by going to this web site http://www.USAservice.org
President OBAMA is always a step ahead of his critics. It must drive them crazy.
Yes, he is, as the "National Call To Service" emails went out today to start organizing and getting ideas for this program.
Could you people please let him get inaugurated before you relegate his whole administration to the ash heap of history? He does just have a few things on his plate, including the major diss by the current occupant making him stay in a hotel.
"Could you people please let him get inaugurated before you relegate his whole administration to the ash heap of history?" AMEN! All of this negativity is really a turnoff.
Yes, isn't it amazing. This article comes out on Huff Po in the middle of the afternoon and by 4pm they have launched a volunteer website. Now that was a quick response. I guess it means that Obama isn't squandering an opportunity.
I"ve been preaching this idea for years. Its time has come! Require service of all able bodied men-women ages 18-28 for a period of two years. Service to our country could be in the form of military, peace corps, or community service. Everyone should serve in some form or another. For those unemployed, community service at any age would help our economy equally as well.
we pay our taxes. that should be enough. the greatest quality of America is no one should be forced to serve anything...its crazy.
That's sounds a lot like a draft. I though most folks have pretty much agreed that a draft is a bad idea. The fact that the draft placed the individual in the military, possibly in harms way, was not the only issue. It also deprived the draftee of their freedom during their tour of duty. They had to do what the government told them to do. Giving people a short list of choices (military, peace corps, community) is only slightly less horrible.
Ah yes, its time has come, like our need for Big Brother and our lack of concern whether we are at war with Eastasia or Eurasia.
Think it is amazing how much criticism someone can get about what he is or is not doing, before he even takes office. Give the man a break. He doesn't have to do everything in one piece of legislation. And, have more respect for him that he would take some time to craft a GOOD program that will be effective.
You said what I have been trying to (but apparently haven't done wll) in about the last 20 posts.
According to an email thatI got today Public Service will be a big part of the Inaugural Address. They are also asking communities to hold neighborhood meetings.
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