So, the SERVE and GIVE acts of COMMUNITY are on the TABLE. Michelle Malkin opining:
The House passed the “Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act” – or the GIVE Act – last week. The Senate took up the companion “SERVE Act” Tuesday afternoon. According to a Congressional Budget Office analysis of the Senate bill, S. 277, the bill would cost “$418 million in 2010 and about $5.7 billion over the 2010-2014 period.” And like most federal programs, these would be sure to grow over time. The bills reauthorize the Clinton-era Americorps boondoggle program and an older law, the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973.
Now, brass tacks: This is stupid. The federal government wants to commit $6 billion to volunteer projects when unemployment’s expected to rock the double digits by year’s end. Solid city, champs.
But recall Rahm Emanuel’s the compulsory community service and Voluntary Civilian Corps to Make Glory of Motherland from last November for a moment. As Captain Ed notes, the GIVE bill contemplates mandatory civilian service by creating a committee to assess:
(6) Whether a workable, fair, and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people could be developed, and how such a requirement could be implemented in a manner that would strengthen the social fabric of the Nation and overcome civic challenges by bringing together people from diverse economic, ethnic, and educational backgrounds.
Could be? Sure. Should be? No. Hell, no.
Leaving aside the inherent difference in a military draft in WWII conditions (fairly unlikely in a nuclear world anyway) and those for community service, I was under the impression we’d concluded that the federal government does not have the right to compel law-abiding citizens to perform mandatory and potentially life-disrupting activities. False. We all just love social justice apparently.
Community service is excellent. One of my best high school experiences was coaching Little League throughout. But individual schools (even colleges), churches and community organizations are capable of mandating hours all on their own without the federal government involving itself. What would that even look like? I have this odd mental image of Fred Flinstone punching a time card, even though it would probably involve a lot of standardized forms and middle school health videos about appreciating everyone’s differences.
Of course, it sounds like it would skew more like a Margaret Atwood or Kazuo Ishiguro novel than Flintstones. Moe Lane combs through the prohibited activities for the GIVE/SERVE/PI PHI crews, and life seems awfully grim:
That does in fact ban “witnessing,” and you can easily see a scenario arise under that where someone could get dinged for going to church, let alone being a deacon or cantor or imam. Never underestimate the ability of the government to allow regulations to obscure common sense. But look at the other things that this bill prohibits. No participation in union activities, pro or against. No participation in abortion-related activities, pro or against. No participation in partisan political activities. No participation in protesting of any sort. They can’t even engage in voter registration, unless they find a group not indicted for voter fraud. That’s a fairly draconian list, in fact. Too draconian, in fact: the last time I checked, college students were generally legal adults.
Each day I feel more libertarian. By year’s end, I’ll probably be holding a shotgun, snarling “GET OFF MY LAWN” at the local gang members harassing my helpless but charming neighbors.
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Fairfax County Public Schools has proposed that all high school students have 40 hours of community service credit in order to graduate. Program to begin in 2009-10 school year. Compulsory volunteer service is no longer an oxymoron.