posted on Feb, 27 2004 @ 12:12 PM
(Title changed to more accurately reflect topic)
Forgive me if this topic has been covered before; I couldn't find any similar post.
I believe that some form of draft should be installed in the USA. The "draft" can be called Service to America or whatever. It will not be solely a
military draft, but it should be mandatory.
The proposed draft will apply to all citizens ages 18 to 25. The only exemption from it would be serious physical maladies. The commitment would be a
minimum of 60 hours per month for a period of two years.
The draft would serve several purposes:
It would give our youth the opportunity to participate in society and/or government in a manner that they would normally not have the opportunity
to.
It would begin to put the solutions to social problems back into the hands of the people, and out of governments' hands.
Services covered by this draft could include the following:
Voter reform
Tax reform
Service to the elderly and housebound
Habitat for Humanity types of projects
Environmental issues
Helping the homeless in a million ways
Tutoring and mentoring schoolage children
Helping single-parent families with child care
Government has its hand in many of the above right now, with the attendant waste and bureaucracy.
Putting this back in the hands of the people would help them to satisfy a debt to society, as well as give them a vested interest in their country. In
other words, we'd appreciate our country more if we had to work at it to make it better.
Funding could come from a combination of taking the money back from the government, and private contributions.
Comments?
john
[Edited on 1-3-2004 by jsobecky]