Obama Youth Corps

[phatlip]

I'm curious what you guys think about this whole Obama youth corps thing. I've been trying to read up on it, but I'm having a difficult time finding a non bias source. That and the bill is way too long to read.

What do you guys think about this? Does anyone have a decent summary?

[phatlip]

What exactly is the deal with mandatory service though? Is this simply "service learning" which is already in place or something different?

[masherscf]

Don't look at me. If I had my way, all you young'uns would be spending your 18th and 19th years in the Army.

[tokenuser]

Don't look at me. If I had my way, all you young'uns would be spending your 18th and 19th years in the Army.All I can find on this online are rants from people comparing it to the Hitler youth.

My recollection was more in line with community service programs in exchange for college funding credits ... which I think is a great idea.

[masherscf]

All I can find on this online are rants from people comparing it to the Hitler youth.

My recollection was more in line with community service programs in exchange for college funding credits ... which I think is a great idea.

I think naming it the "Obama Youth Corp" is unfortunate. Afterall, some people can't tell the differecne between Obama and Osama. The silly and pointless comparisons of Hilter to Obama came early in the general campiagn. Isn't it obvious, young charistaic leader at a time of economic crisis... It's how they say something that's important...not what they say.

The obvious comparison to other politically aligned youth movements named for charistamic leaders is too easy make. Who cares that someone with the political beliefs of Obama would have been strangled in his sleep by the Hilter Youth. People think too much in labels. They should have called it the "Young American Civilian Service Corp."

[bigshotprof]

I think naming it the "Obama Youth Corp" is unfortunate. Afterall, some people can't tell the differecne between Obama and Osama. The silly and pointless comparisons of Hilter to Obama came early in the general campiagn. Isn't it obvious, young charistaic leader at a time of economic crisis... It's how they say something that's important...not what they say.

The obvious comparison to other politically aligned youth movements named for charistamic leaders is too easy make. Who cares that someone with the political beliefs of Obama would have been strangled in his sleep by the Hilter Youth. People think too much in labels. They should have called it the "Young American Civilian Service Corp."

How about the American Yearly Enlistment and Youth Enterprise. Arrgghhhh! Matey!

[phatlip]

My recollection was more in line with community service programs in exchange for college funding credits ... which I think is a great idea.

Yeah I get that, but who HAS to do it? I read something about "all able bodied people". What if an individual doesn't want to go to college? Are they still forced to do this?

Is this simply service learning in high school or is this forced labor of adults?

[phatlip]

I think naming it the "Obama Youth Corp" is unfortunate. Afterall, some people can't tell the differecne between Obama and Osama. The silly and pointless comparisons of Hilter to Obama came early in the general campiagn. Isn't it obvious, young charistaic leader at a time of economic crisis... It's how they say something that's important...not what they say.

The obvious comparison to other politically aligned youth movements named for charistamic leaders is too easy make. Who cares that someone with the political beliefs of Obama would have been strangled in his sleep by the Hilter Youth. People think too much in labels. They should have called it the "Young American Civilian Service Corp."

I didn't know what else to call it. Apparently it's official name is the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act (GIVE Act).

What I'm questioning is is this volunteerism?

[yssman]

Yeah I get that, but who HAS to do it? I read something about "all able bodied people". What if an individual doesn't want to go to college? Are they still forced to do this?

Is this simply service learning in high school or is this forced labor of adults?

No one has to do it... The suggestion in the policy is that you should do it in order to get extra money for college. Something that I think sounds like a fair deal, that is, if the demands on what needs to be done aren't incredibly high.

[masherscf]

Is this simply service learning in high school or is this forced labor of adults?

Why the heck not. I do forced labor for the government nearly one out of three days I work already. They take the money right out of my paycheck.

[phatlip]

Why the heck not. I do forced labor for the government nearly one out of three days I work already. They take the money right out of my paycheck.

Because forced labor is slavery which is against the constitution. Certain job requirements aren't forced labor. You have a choice in the profession you go in and can always leave.

It seems there is no mandatory service anyway so it doesn't matter.

[masherscf]

Because forced labor is slavery which is against the constitution. Certain job requirements aren't forced labor. You have a choice in the profession you go in and can always leave.

It seems there is no mandatory service anyway so it doesn't matter.

You can't leave taxes. Every job pays taxes, not 'certain' jobs. I pay more in taxes than I made when I was you're age. That's work I do for the government. I work, they get paid. That sounds a lot like mandatory service to me.

If forced national service was unconstitutional, than the draft board has a lot of explaining to do.

[phatlip]

You can't leave taxes. Every job pays taxes, not 'certain' jobs. I pay more in taxes than I made when I was you're age. That's work I do for the government. I work, they get paid. That sounds a lot like mandatory service to me.

If forced national service was unconstitutional, than the draft board has a lot of explaining to do.

Paying taxes is mandatory, the labor you do isn't. Those are two different things.

In my opinion, I view the draft as forced labor. I'm against it 100%.

[gta_bmx]

Also, I think Obama had some sort of plan in mind for citizens to help patrol their own neighhorhoods and keep them safe. I guess it was separate from the youth group. The idiot Rush Limbaugh said this plan is like the "Third Reich." It's nothing like that. This plan would have private citizen volunteers, not soldiers in an evil government regime as was WW2 Germany.

I like the idea of citizens taking responsibility for their own neighborhoods. I'm not saying replace police officers/deputies; the volunteers would be supplemental. It's good for people to take responsibility for themselves. Why expect the government to always do EVERYTHING for you and your community? Having to rely on your gov't for ALL your safety is more Third Reich'ish to me than having some volunteer patrols. A lot of crimes are crimes of oppurtunity. So if there's a volunteer patrol walking a neighborhood, crime would go down.

There's a 4 week or so Basic Police Officers Training class that all Policemen must take (in this state there is a volunteer/reserve police force) in Ohio. A person could take a similar class to be a volunteer patrolman. I'm not sure about letting them carry firearms, but a badge/armband/nightstick/handcuffs/radio would go a long way.

[phatlip]

Also, I think Obama had some sort of plan in mind for citizens to help patrol their own neighhorhoods and keep them safe. I guess it was separate from the youth group. The idiot Rush Limbaugh said this plan is like the "Third Reich." It's nothing like that. This plan would have private citizen volunteers, not soldiers in an evil government regime as was WW2 Germany.

I like the idea of citizens taking responsibility for their own neighborhoods. I'm not saying replace police officers/deputies; the volunteers would be supplemental. It's good for people to take responsibility for themselves. Why expect the government to always do EVERYTHING for you and your community? Having to rely on your gov't for ALL your safety is more Third Reich'ish to me than having some volunteer patrols. A lot of crimes are crimes of oppurtunity. So if there's a volunteer patrol walking a neighborhood, crime would go down.

There's a 4 week or so Basic Police Officers Training class that all Policemen must take (in this state there is a volunteer/reserve police force) in Ohio. A person could take a similar class to be a volunteer patrolman. I'm not sure about letting them carry firearms, but a badge/armband/nightstick/handcuffs/radio would go a long way.

I don't like this idea. I'm harrased enough by real cops let alone someone playing dress up.

If a private citizen approaches me with handcuffs I'm knocking them out.

[rabidbadger]

I don't like this idea. I'm harrased enough by real cops let alone someone playing dress up.

If a private citizen approaches me with handcuffs I'm knocking them out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7l250E5uM4

[gta_bmx]

I don't like this idea. I'm harrassed enough by real cops let alone someone playing dress up.

If a private citizen approaches me with handcuffs I'm knocking them out.

Semantics, really. It would be a REAL trained cop, just not a PAID cop -- a part-time 10 hour/week volunteer. The only difference would be that they aren't getting a paycheck. But I can understand where you're coming from. It'd probably be a lot more of a popular program, if they weren't given full police powers but instead given essentially "observe and report" functions like a security guard.

A friend of mine is a volunteer fireman. He risks his life to save other peoples' lives/homes. And he has to attend hours and hours of meetings/training every month. And he even has to pay for most of his own equipment. And for this he does get a Volunteer Firefighter's badge which means that he has gotten out of a couple of speeding tickets in his life, but hey if you ask me, he deserves to get out of those tickets.