Slinking into the Future: 1984 Here We Come

The next big government intrusion into our lives is gaining speed and young families had better be monitoring it closely: the GIVE/SHARE Bills (the Senate version -- SHARE -- now, at the initiative of allegedly conservative Orin Hatch, has been re-named the "Edward M. Kennedy National Service Law." They hugged as the name-change was announced by Sen. Hatch. Awww.).

The Law will hand over billions of dollars (yes, 6 + more billions -- in addition to the billions and trillions that Congress has already spent since January that it doesn't have) to the likes of ACORN and PUSH so they can facilitate volunteerism and civic service. As if those organizations haven't done enough to corrupt volunteerism and civic service already. New service organizations will spring to life, never to wither, such as a Clean Energy Corps, Education Corps, Healthy Futures Corps, Veterans Service Corps, and an expanded National Civilian Community Corps for disaster relief and energy conservation.

I have never opposed volunteerism, as any who know me will attest; I've been kind of a hyper-volunteer since college. Still am. I've also long advocated a year or two of paid, government-sponsored, mandatory service for everyone following high school graduation, or attaining the age of 18, whichever comes last. But the stand-alone companion bill to GIVE/SHARE, The Congressional Commission of Civic Service Act, is a very frightening thing. It is the gateway to mandatory civic service for potentially every individual in the United States of America.

Among the tasks given the new Commission are to determine and analyze (emphasis mine):

(5) The effect on the Nation, on those who serve, and on the families of those
who serve, if all individuals in the United States were expected to
perform national service or were required to perform a certain amount
of national service.

(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.

(7)
The need for a public service academy, a 4-year institution that offers a
federally funded undergraduate education with a focus on training future public
sector leaders.

Yes sir. We're gonna train up "future public sector leaders" in the way of "Progressive-ism." And I suppose we all would have to have a federally-operated "communications monitor" installed in our homes to keep us informed about volunteer "opportunities" and "assignments." Huh, Mr. Orwell?

It may not be slavery, or even enthrallment. But it's suspiciously akin to involuntary servitude.

People -- stay on top of this.