Obama Calls For Mandatory Government Service

Sorry but you guys are a little naive. You can laugh and snicker all you want, your world view is biased in the extreme.

You don't think luck pays a huge part in peoples success?

Do you really think only those that succeed work hard, and those they don't didn't work hard enough? That is just total naivety.

You obviously don't really understand the system you support, either that or you need to believe in the myth to justify your actions.

Wealth distribution is concentrated in a very small group of people, the real minorities, the real wealthy, the folks that dictate policy to maintain their wealth at the expense of the rest of us. Did this 5% work harder than the rest of us? You obviously didn't work as HARD as them lol?

The top 5 percent own more than half of all wealth.

In 1998, they owned 59 percent of all wealth. Or to put it another way, the top 5 percent had more wealth than the remaining 95 percent of the population, collectively.

The top 20 percent owns over 80 percent of all wealth. In 1998, it owned 83 percent of all wealth.

This is a very concentrated distribution...

...Wolff: The bottom 20 percent basically have zero wealth. They either have no assets, or their debt equals or exceeds their assets. The bottom 20 percent has typically accumulated no savings.

A household in the middle — the median household — has wealth of about $62,000. $62,000 is not insignificant, but if you consider that the top 1 percent of households’ average wealth is $12.5 million, you can see what a difference there is in the distribution...

Source
(just using that as a source for the above I don't necessarily agree with the conclusions)

The richest 2 percent of adults in the world own more than half the world's wealth, according to a new study released by the Helsinki-based World Institute for Development Economics Research of the United Nations University.

People who have worked HARD all their lives are losing their homes, are being made homeless. Where did their hard work get them?

Yes work hard for the M.A.N. and end up poor and homeless anyway.

When a man tells you that he got rich through hard work, ask him: 'Whose?' Don Marquis US humorist (1878 - 1937)

reply to post by semperfortis

Well that is quite a story, and applaud you being able to make something of yourself. I'm sure grandmother is proud.

Myself, I grew up in the rust belt where everyone had a similar blue collar worth ethic and looked down on lazy people. We also looked down on the book worms and college boys just the same, but when I saw that the economy in the area was changing and the manufacturing jobs were leaving, I knew the only thing to do was to go to college and work toward something better. I went to night school after work for ten years to get my degree and landed a good job.

I succeeded because I had the opportunity to. In some areas, like in the nearby city that turned into a ghost town, they didn't have the same opportunities. The jobs that didn't require a skill were few or paid next to nothing. Sure some were lazy being brought up living on welfare until it was reformed in the 90's, but the majority of went through job retraining programs that some of the companies offered or went to school because they had the opportunity.

This program is just another one of those opportunities that people can learn the values that you find lacking. I don't understand why given your history, you would rather deny them of this. Should everyone that is born regress to being poor so they learn a good work ethic?

Originally posted by Andrew E. Wiggin

Barack Obama didnt call for Mandatory anything.
I'd file a complaint and ask that a mod change the title to something less "trollish"

I agree. That sight is obvious republican propoganda, and they seem to be lying straight out of their ass. Obama's site clearly states "voluntary". The republicans must be getting desperate.

reply to post by ANOK

It seems that no one chose to review the 'entire' post that Obama put on his site. I read the entries made here and was anxious to visit Oboma's site to see just what all the hysteria was about.

Obama's plan is to ASK for SERVICE, as in 'community service'. He looks to create a country of 'DOERS' and move from our present comatose state of selfish couch potatoes. He also wishes to give $4000 toward those college students who put in 100 hours of public service. My kids did volunteer community service when they were younger. Most schools and cities encourage while honoring those who selflessly give of their time.

This is all voluntary and not mandatory. Please read and don't be misdirected by hearsay from those who wish to drag Obama through untruths. You don't have to like the man, just don't start twisting the truth.

i didnt bother to read all the pages so im sorry if someone already said this, but, come on....we all already mandatorily serve this country. We pay taxes from the sweat of our labor until our dying day, most of us. What is that if not mandatory service? Each generation fewer and fewer people actually get to retire, and most of us pay 1/3 of our wages in taxes which is a HUGE chunk, despite the fact that the other 2/3 of our pay BARELY lets us scrape by. And to top it all off, we are completely unrepresented in government, which means we are taxated without being representated (clever that, eh?). As far as im concerned that equals mandatory lifelong servitude to me.

obama is not legislative branch only executive so i dont understand how can we propose anything I thought it is the congress's job; also it is shame ron paul wont be on the ballot...

reply to post by Hal9000

To graduate in my school district, you have to do 40 hours of volunteer service. The 40 hours of volunteer service is REQUIRED to pass grade 12.

reply to post by flyindevil

Well as others have also said, some states already require some community service during high school, but what I was referring to in the post was that Obama's program was voluntary and hasn't been implemented yet, so he is not responsible for it being required in your state, unless you live in Illinois and he voted on it while he was in the senate or something.

I would guess that if you and your parents were against it, you could probably sign a wavier to get out of it. Is that an option in your state?

Also other have said that it should be implemented according to the state and not on a federal level, which if the majority of the people want it that way, that would be fine by me. All I'm saying is that community service could be a good way for some to gain experience and I'm sure that even Obama would do it whichever way the people prefer. It is not mandatory as stated in the title.

Originally posted by flyindevil

To graduate in my school district, you have to do 40 hours of volunteer service.

Curious, what state and district is that?

Originally posted by gnosis111


I do not support Obama or McCain for that matter, but I fail to see the problem here. We have a duty to support our fellow man as human beings. Yes there might be an alternate directive like having us do the governments work, but to have high school and college students be required to help the community and such should be encouraged if not mandantory, especially if they are on a full ride scholarship or mommy and daddy paid for it.

I'll wait and see what transpires, but so far it sounds fine with me.

Yes, community. But service to special-interest-groups or even military (which is kill your fellow man, not support him)? No way.