Kerry's National Service Plan

[durutti]

As a college student, I was deeply impressed with this idea. A few years of community service for college tuition? What a deal!

The Democrats could easily nab the youth vote if they emphasized these issues.

[JI7]

1. yes, and also

it's available to all people in exchange for things like college as you mention and tax credits for senior citizens.

[maddezmom]

2. is it on his website?

I'd like to read about it. :) He's up now on C-Span, maybe he'll mention it.

[JI7]

3. yes it is

and he almost always mentions it in his speeches.

[maddezmom]

4. thanks

going to go read it now. :)

[KaraokeKarlton]

5. Too bad the plan includes a lot of bad things

Kerry's National Service Plan would force children to do Community Service in order to receive a high school diploma. Forcing kids to work against their will and without pay is categorically wrong and morally vacant. Kerry also wants to try to influence young people to join the military by doing more aggressive military recruiting. There are other things I'm very uncomfortable with about Kerry's National Service Plan. You've highlighted only one part of his plan and left out the bad parts of it. As a parent of 3 teenagers, I know full well that our children are already under a great deal of pressure and have a lot responsibilities. Most Democrats hate the idea of forcing welfare recipients to work for their benefits, yet some would support doing this same thing to our children, who don't even get a voice in political elections. I oppose that so strongly that words can't even express my feelings on this issue. This is part of the reason I really dislike Kerry. Any candidate who believes in forcing unpaid work on our youth and thinks it's a good idea to allow military recruiters even more access to pressure our impressionable youth is seriously out of touch with what is best for America's children.

[sallyseven]

7. Our youth need to accept responsibility

They need to have a goal and purpose. Take a look at some kids today they are bored and surley. The show it too. Nothing wrong in doing something good. It might take them way from the crappy stuff they are subjeced to by the halfwits that are so revered. Maybe they will continue it into adulthood. That is if we all live that long.

[KaraokeKarlton]

9. You thinks kids don't already have a lot of responsibility?

I have 4 children, 3 of them teenagers. They have chores at home, loads of homework, tremendous pressure from all sides to do things both good and bad. They work part time jobs to save money and learn responsibility already. My kids already volunteer on THEIR own terms when they can and want to. The surest way to turn kids off to volunteering is to try to force them to do it. If Kerry wants to target a group of people to get out in the community and turn their lives around, he should suggest that those welfare recipients do this. And before you (or anyone else) tries to flame me for saying that, I used to be a welfare recipient and I know this population of Americans like the back of my own hand. Most welfare recipients not only could do Community Service but would benefit themselves and their community a lot by doing it. Oh, and that population actually has a voice and can legally vote on what affects them. Children don't have that luxury. In my opinion, forced Community service for children is nothing more than forced child labor. It's wrong. I think the 2 years of service in exchange for a college education is a good idea, because it is OPTIONAL.

[JI7]

13. forced child labor ?

i had to required community service for a class to pass. and my brother had to do it to graduate. and believe me, it's not forced child labor. unless you mean it in the sense of parents making kids wash dishes, take out trash, help with dinner, or making school kids take phys ed, do homework is forced child labor.

[JI7]

8. many schools already have this

and the kids get "paid" with their diploma. and many schools already have this as a requirement.

[KaraokeKarlton]

10. So now there is a fee to pay for a public education?

And here I thought I was on a Democratic forum, not a Republican one.

[JI7]

12. "fee" ?

it's part of the education . do your homework, get good grade on tests, field trips, research projects, essays, elective courses , phys ed, and community service and pass if you do well and go on to the next grade until you get your diploma.

[maddezmom]

6. well I like this part

<<<As President, John Kerry would create the Retired Not Tired Program. By mentoring students, helping the infirm, or working in their communities for 10 hours a week, members can earn up to $2,000 a year tax free that they can apply to an education grant for a family member...>>>

Seniors often are overlooked.

[KaraokeKarlton]

11. At least he wants to pay seniors

But he STILL wants to exploit children.

[JI7]

14. exploit kids ?

community service is not exploiting kids. it's already required in many schools.