From the article: “In general, I think our government is most effective when creating opportunity rather than just handing out money. However, this could be a giveaway that results in opportunity… Unless you’re reflexively against all government-b…

It’s public service – there is always allot of work to do in that area – no shortages of trouble and lot’s of help always needed. Social theorists love to talk about Immanuel Kant, post-modernism, structuralism, and even the overall lack of personal choice when discussing such subjects as national service. AmeriCorps, Citizen Corps, Senior Corps, Peace Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp, Learn and Serve America even the Coast Guard or Border Patrol – these could all be expanded.

The issue isn’t one of practicality it’s one concerning our country and the increasing inability of the populous to negotiate those area of our society which hold our republic together.

The rich and well to do rarely if ever bear the burden of holding a society together. For their motivation is much more closely associated with taking from society far more than they traditionally give back. Rich people will always find their way out of situations like this if they are motivated to – but not always. In many cases those of the privileged class do serve, in fact they are proud to do so – and they serve with distinction. If they do not serve penalties can be determined but humiliation and loss of prestige work well too.

Despite my bloviating here, I very much appreciate the Libertarian point of view that “no one, no state, has the right to force service out of anyone for collective purposes”. Although asking our young people to serve for 2-3 years and offering incentives for that service is a step in the right direction.

Programs can be created that will work – the question is whether or not our nation has the sense of “nationhood” which would make this endeavor a success.
Do we have the will to foster a sense of shared success is the real question.

I am a firm believer in national service – I think 1 year is too short – 2 to 3 would be better – and it must be mandatory. Children of the Bush’s, Clinton’s, Vanderbilt’s, Rockefellers are required as well – no deferrals, no quibbling, “just do it”.

Such a program sounds great in a sound bite, but is impossible in a practical sense. As part of my dissertation research, I’ve had to read much of the congressional and media debates over national service going all the way back to the 1950s. The problem is that there is never enough real work to occupy the 3-6 million people that would be entering the program each year. There is also no way to prevent rich people from being disproportionately able to evade it, either by purchasing exemptions (even medical exemptions can be bought) or just fleeing out of the jurisdiction to live it up in Europe for a couple of years.

Mandatory national service without exemptions is just not practical.

I don’t agree with the $5,000 at birth it just seems silly – sort of like a bribe to help them get elected again. I subscribe to the 75/25% rule in that after your service (military, peaceful, whatever) 75% of tuition and books cost is covered at most universities/trade schools and 25% by the individual either through 0% interest loans or work-study. If they want to go start a business “economic enterprise zones” offering mentoring and help combined with 3-5 year financing could be another alternative. I don’t like throwing money at problems…..I like throwing “people” talent at problems and then determining the best way to get to “root cause” – then throw money at it.

There is nothing wrong with taking an 18-year-old kid who doesn’t know “shit” and making him or her do something solely for the purpose of the greater societies benefit for a 2 to 3 year period. Afterwards they can go and live their lives as they normally would have – but with so much more life experience. It could really pull the country together as everybody of the same age bracket is completely level set for a period of their life – they are all the same….treated the same, paid the same, expected to perform the same. It would be a great lesson in humility that would come at the perfect time in their lives. It wouldn’t hurt them a bit.