I reserve my right to be completely lazy after I work my butt off for meager wages of bread and cheese.

That would be IF I had a dang job.

I'll admit I only skimmed some posts, so maybe this was answered, but what kind of community service is he talking about. Because, I agree we should be helping our fellow citizens, especially the unfortunates. We are the most selfish self centered country on the planet as far as the people go. I would gladly help to feed the needy even if mandated, as long as it's not TAKEN from me. We need more of a humanitarian view and less of this "I take care of my own" attitude. It is our next step in evolution of the spirit. It is a step further to becoming a harmonious society. I know that I feel good when I help someone in need.

I don't agree with most of this administrations policies, but I do agree with this. I came from a very poor and dysfunctional family and have become successful on my own with little help, but i still feel a need to give to those that need it.

More along the lines of a community market place where people can grow food and bring it for all to share in. A lot of people get the shaft from our government policies, and something like this is a much better approach than the decrepit welfare system.

But maybe someone can help educate me on what this truly means, because the way some of you explain it, doesn't sound like what this is at all.

Every penny and right he tries to take.

Remember we put him and the others in office, we can take them out. We are "the" people.

Originally posted by Pimpish
I have a simple theory as to why mandatory service will never happen. People won't do it. There isn't enough money or room to put the millions of people who would refuse in jail. My guess is they will explore these mandatory options, but in the end will decide that mandatory service just won't work, because guess what...it won't.

I would imagine even the millions of people who go along with it out of fear of a fine/jail time/whatever, will be so angry at being forced to "volunteer" that the quality of "help" they are providing will be so horrible as to be better off not having these "volunteers" around.

and yet, I bet if you did a search on the gov't Thomas database, that one little "draft" legislation that occasionally pops up in an attempt to get a vote it still there....

ya know the one, the one that requires every person within certain ages serve so long in one way or another.....
this is just a prelude to that bill becoming a reality...
let's see how the public reacts to the idea, if all goes well.....

as far as the "pressure" I might feel if I choose not to volunteer my time....
well, tell ya something, I see people parking in those nice handicapped parking areas, jumping out of their cars and running, yes, literally running into stores quit often!! I walked out of my shop yesterday, and FELL, yes actually FELL, walking to my car!!! I've only run once since I broke my ankle...I was drugged and didn't feel a thing.

My community service is paying my taxes so those runners can have their disability payments and medical expenses paid for, don't like it, tough crap!!!

I agree with the idea that those on welfare, on unemployment, ect will more than likely be mandated at one point to "serve".

Originally posted by jibeho
Reality is one hell of a pill to swallow for many. Back when the first threads surfaced regarding Obama's plan for 'volunteerism' many scoffed and blew it off. Then, out of nowhere, the bill moved through congress without a blink amidst one of Obama's many distractions.

Half of the nation probably doesn't even know that this new service law even exists. So, these recent actions by Obama and the Mrs. seem sincere to the masses. However, Obama's community organizers will be knocking on doors by the end of July. Recruitment is well on it's way.

This is one promise he intends to keep.

I was the one who posted about this very topic when the website, change.gov went up. I was concerned then & I still very much am. I volunteer a lot of my time & while the concept is good, the delivery is horrid.

Volunteer work should be just that, a person VOLUNTEERING their time. Not by force, but because they choose to help a particular cause. The government has no business getting involved in this area. It is private sector & should remain as such. Each person should maintain the rights to their free time & how they spend it.

If I make the choice to sit on my rear & not lift a finger to help anyone, that is my choice to be an a**hole. No way in hell should the government be able to tell me I can't. It is mine time to do with what I choose.

Also, what happens when I choose to volunteer for an organization not on the approved list? (we all know that one is coming & acorn will be right at the top) Will I be told that's not good enough, you have to serve the way we want you to, the amount of time we want you to & to the organizations we want you to? I'm betting the answers will be yes & the only organizations that will benefit from this law are the ones Obama decides are worthy.

Sorry, but this reeks of Socialism & last time I checked, our country was not The Socialist States of America. Then again, how long before that is true as well?

I don't serve my government, they are supposed to serve me. Right? Or am I just way off course in my thinking? We the people?

Originally posted by Psynarchist

SEC. 125. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS. (a) Prohibited Activities- A participant in an approved national service position under this subtitle may not engage in the following activities: (2) Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes.

Those are, in my constitutionalist opinion, Unalienable rights protected by the First Amendment; they cannot be taken nor given away. Compelling one to do so, or leading one to believe he is capable of doing so, should be regarded as treasonous and an affront to the Constitution.

On the main topic, compelling one to volunteer voids volunteerism of its virtue. Impelling one to volunteer is just kindlier slavery. Volunteering is not a duty, that is a contradiction in terms. Guilting people into volunteering is as sleazy a tactic as ever there was and it inexorably taints the whole ordeal.

I think this whole thing is a belt-tightening scam. People's abilities have intrinsic real-world value. If the government can compel them to use their abilities "pro-bono", the systematic neglect and harassment of the citizenry becomes less apparent, requires even less fake concern, and further mitigates related expenses. It also makes unemployment seem less humiliating and debilitating. If you can get away with stealing it, why pay for it! It's not as if it's been made your job in the first place!

One program specifically, $5,000 tuition assistance for a year's "service", is particularly transparent bribery - and not volunteering in any way. If the government has those $5,000 available for education, there should be no question whatsoever about where it goes - grants. The government has done nothing to make post-secondary education affordable, if money exists for tuition assistance it had better be distributed without hesitation, its taxpayer money (as far as this topic is concerned) and belongs to... the taxpayer. Taxes are levied on the population for what? Tens of billions in aid to the IMF the public did not approve? Bank bailouts the public did not approve? War funding for a war the public does not approve of?

I salute the universe. A battle on Earth is just a mere disgrace to life.

With the entire nation soon to be out of work, and thus unemployed by his and Pelosi's actions, he's going to keep everyone busy so they don't grab up pitchforks, sickles, torches, and march on Washington to kill the monsters.

Tell ya what, I'll match Obama for the community service he does. Soup kitchen for an hour? I'll match it. I'll also have to have his salary for it to be fair though, then I'll be more than happy to do some community service.

I served in the Army...I think this should make me and my children exempt...who can I ask about this?

Arrgh, what a choice, prisoner or slave? Hmmmm...not much of a difference really. LOL

Obama is out of control with this volunteer stuff. This is just a backdoor to free labor.

You have to look for the motives behind the emotion.

Volunteer service sounds good but Obama is making it sound like it's your duty to do volunteer work.

Pepole serve there country by paying taxes, going to work, starting businesses and more.

They don't have to serve their country in the way Obama thinks they should serve their country.

It was like when he gave his address to college kids. He said go out and volunteer or work for a non-profit.

Who does Obama thinks donates to charities and non profits? It's people who have a good job or who start their own business. Those kids parents just spent thousands on an education and your telling them to do volunteer work. No, they need to get a job and then they can donate to charities and non-profits if they want to.

If a person wants to be lazy and do nothing with his/her life that's their right in a free country. Obama and many Democrats in Washington as well as Republicans need to stop wasting and spending trillions of dollars and they need to stop trying to control behavior.

I've worked my butt off for over 30 years. I'd still be working if I had a job to go to. I have payed taxes my whole life. I donate to whatever organization I choose. Obama needs to keep his nose out of other people's business instead of forcing people to do things. I fear this is just the beginning. We need to get him out of office and get someone else in.