Post by dgriffin on Apr 3, 2009 18:27:40 GMT -5
Here's a decent article from FactCheck.org on the GIVE Act, now before congress. While one intent of the article is to show there is nothing in the act that makes public service mandatory, you can see in the detail that we may be not far from it.
H.R. 1388 was introduced in the House on March 9. It passed the House a week later by a vote of 321 - 105, with nearly all Democrats and 70 Republicans supporting it. It passed the Senate on March 26, 79 - 19.
Called the GIVE Act ("Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act") in the House and the "Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act" in the Senate, the legislation reauthorizes and expands established national service programs including VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) and the National Civilian Community Corps, both of which are AmeriCorps programs. The House bill sets a goal of having 250,000 yearly participants in such programs by 2014; the Senate bill says there should be that many national service positions by 2017. About 75,000 adults participate in AmeriCorps each year now; there are 4 million people total in various national community service programs, according to AmeriCorps.
The act also aims to increase volunteer and public service opportunities, including opportunities for retirees and the Baby Boom generation, and to "support institutions of higher education that engage students in community service activities." It calls for giving students who complete an approved full-time national service job an "educational award having a value equal to the maximum amount of a Federal Pell Grant." AmeriCorps says this would increase the amount its members receive upon completion of service from $4,725 to $5,350, which they can use to pay for school or pay back student loans.
www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/is_congress_creating_a_mandatory_public_service.html
I would imagine numerous games could be played with the provisions of this legislation, including requirements for service tacked on to grants that were previously "free." With such grants becoming practically necessary given the cost of education... woila! Back door mandatory national service. Some folks might think that a good thing. The evil may be in how it is attained.
By the way, GIVE (Generations Invigorating ....) may be the second most lame acronym I've ever heard, the first place spot going to the A&P food chain's WEO of more than 25 years ago. Depending on who you ask, WEO translated to "Where Economy Originates" or "Warehouse Economy Outlet.")
H.R. 1388 was introduced in the House on March 9. It passed the House a week later by a vote of 321 - 105, with nearly all Democrats and 70 Republicans supporting it. It passed the Senate on March 26, 79 - 19.
Called the GIVE Act ("Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act") in the House and the "Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act" in the Senate, the legislation reauthorizes and expands established national service programs including VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) and the National Civilian Community Corps, both of which are AmeriCorps programs. The House bill sets a goal of having 250,000 yearly participants in such programs by 2014; the Senate bill says there should be that many national service positions by 2017. About 75,000 adults participate in AmeriCorps each year now; there are 4 million people total in various national community service programs, according to AmeriCorps.
The act also aims to increase volunteer and public service opportunities, including opportunities for retirees and the Baby Boom generation, and to "support institutions of higher education that engage students in community service activities." It calls for giving students who complete an approved full-time national service job an "educational award having a value equal to the maximum amount of a Federal Pell Grant." AmeriCorps says this would increase the amount its members receive upon completion of service from $4,725 to $5,350, which they can use to pay for school or pay back student loans.
www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/is_congress_creating_a_mandatory_public_service.html
I would imagine numerous games could be played with the provisions of this legislation, including requirements for service tacked on to grants that were previously "free." With such grants becoming practically necessary given the cost of education... woila! Back door mandatory national service. Some folks might think that a good thing. The evil may be in how it is attained.
By the way, GIVE (Generations Invigorating ....) may be the second most lame acronym I've ever heard, the first place spot going to the A&P food chain's WEO of more than 25 years ago. Depending on who you ask, WEO translated to "Where Economy Originates" or "Warehouse Economy Outlet.")
