Obama signs service bill, says volunteers needed

[KamaAina]

Source: AP via Yahoo! News

Calling on Americans to volunteer, President Barack Obama signed a $5.7 billion national service bill Tuesday that triples the size of the AmeriCorps service program over the next eight years and expands ways for students to earn money for college....

Bolstering voluntary public service programs has been a priority of Obama, who credits his work as a community organizer in his early 20s for giving him direction in life. The president cited his work in Chicago as an example of how one person can make a difference....

Congress passed the bill last month with largely bipartisan support and Obama is seeking $1.1 billion to fund it next year. Some Republicans complain it is too costly and is an unnecessary intrusion by government into something Americans already do eagerly and in great numbers — helping their neighbors and communities.

The legislation provides for gradually increasing the size of the Clinton-era AmeriCorps to 250,000 enrollees from its current 75,000. It outlines five broad categories where people can direct their service: helping the poor, improving education, encouraging energy efficiency, strengthening access to health care and assisting veterans.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090421/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_national_service

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Terrific news, especially for New Orleans, where most of the grassroots community organizations that have sprung up since the Federal Flood rely on AmeriCorps volunteers for staffing.

[Laelth]

1. One of the best things Clinton ever did.

And it's minuscule in comparison to what Obama did with the stimulus bill, alone. That's why this bill passed so easily. Still, a good thing.

:dem:

-Laelth


Edit:Laelth--typo correction.

[RedCloud]

2. We need Volunteers of America!

Jefferson Airplane lives on.

[jody]

3. Obama should also call on his supporters to volunteer to fight his wars in Iraq & Afghanistan. n/t

[KamaAina]

4. His wars?

As far as I ever knew, they were Bush's wars. Obama is trying to wind one of them down; as to the other one, Bush screwed that one up by ignoring it 'cause he wanted to invade Iraq 'cause Saddam tried to kill his daddy. :eyes:

[jody]

5. Obama has ordered more troops to Afghanistan and it's now his war. He's CIC and he can withdraw

anytime.

[stillcool]

10. Really? Do you want him to withdraw..

troops from the more than 1,000 bases on foreign soil? How about the largest embassy in the world? You want that place left vacant, or should there be a security force there? Do you think we stopped being an empire on January 21st? I see you don't 'support' anything about this Democratic President.

[jody]

11. Reread #3 in which I specifically cited Iraq and Afghanistan. Have you volunteered to fight Obama's

war or perhaps like me you've already fought in an unjustified war(s) under other presidents?

[stillcool]

14. My father died as a result of the time...

he served in WWII. My mother died when I was a year old, so I was raised by others. He had 4 other brothers who served in that war, and there were numerous relatives that served in Vietnam. You specifically cited Iraq and Afghanistan, so I guess the other bases in the region are okay with you? Seeing where the pipeline routes are, would you prefer the next stop to be Iran, or would you prefer we move on to North Africa and Central America? Or have we stopped being the United States?





Here's something I wrote on Memorial day for my Dad
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/stillcool/99

[jody]

16. Your family's history of service is similar to millions of other Americans. My question however was

whether Obama's supporters have volunteered to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan.

IMO they have two ethical alternatives, either volunteer to fight if physically capable or if eligible to fight but unwilling then oppose the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[stillcool]

17. yeah well...my relatives had no choice..

regarding Vietnam. You may be delusional enough to believe that this President has it within his power to remove the United States military from protecting United States business interests..but really..what country do you live in? At this stage of the game when the prize is so close, do you really think one person has the power to walk away? Edited to add: I am certainly against war...any war. But that doesn't make me naive. And you are wrong. Millions of Americans do not share my story. You don't know as much as you think you do.

[jody]

18. You persist in trying to shift my question about Obama's wars in Iraq & Afghanistan into U.S.

foreign policy protected by our global military deployment.

Thanks but no thanks, I'll stick with my original question about whether Obama's supporters have volunteered to fight his wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

You say "I am certainly against war...any war." and if true then you oppose Obama's wars.

If you mean what you say, then you and I agree on that point.

[stillcool]

19. No we don't...I would never insist..

anyone join the military for any reason..Obama 'supporter' or not. I am really sorry that my point of view about our foreign policy since WWII, and the government we actually have, can not be whittled down to such a simplistic statement.

[jody]

20. So your statement "I am certainly against war...any war" is not correct. Do you then support Obama's

current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?

You do know he's Commander in Chief, don't you?

[stillcool]

22. jeezus...no I don't support any war...

but I am not so simplistic that I do not understand the country I live in or the government I have. I 'hope' for a kinder, gentler empire. But how is that realistic when we manufacture more weapons than anyone else on the planet and we have such a long history of intervening militarily and otherwise on the behalf of American business interests? I oppose any military intervention, but I understand history, how empires become empires and how they stay that way. Perhaps our super-power days are coming to an end, but I don't think so.

[jody]

23. Have a great evening. n/t

[tabasco]

21. Obama inherited unfinished business from AWOL Bush.

Sorry if peaceniks such as yourself don't understand.

[jody]

24. But CiC Obama has the authority to withdraw troops from Afghanistan rather than increase troops and

keep killing innocent people in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

That's Obama's responsibility pure and simple.

[Thothmes]

28. They became the Obama wars as soon as he

completed the oath of office. Just like it became Nixon's war instead of Johnson's war. Every flag draped coffin, every wounded GI, every dead or wounded Iraqi/Afghani is now the responibility of President Obama

[boomerbust]

7. His supporters

Are too busy fighting cowardly Alabama Senators to try and save jobs in the North. Fuck you.

[jody]

8. I'll put you down as a non-volunteer to fight in Obama's wars. n/t

[Arctic Dave]

9. I do believe he inherited these "wars". That being said, I have already

spent my time patroling the Gulf, How about you? Or are you just another chickenhawk with a gun fetish?

[jody]

12. I've fought in unjustified wars and I'm wiser now than when I was young. Are you? n/t

[Arctic Dave]

13. But not wise enough to get over your fears or fetish.

I'm assuming Vietnam when you refer to experience? That would make your children and possibly your grandchildren eligible. Or do you tell them to join the neighborhood watch instead? Because talking shit is a hell of lot easier from the living room then the other side of the world.

[jody]

15. I didn't spend my time "patroling the Gulf" away from harm's way as you claimed to have done. Nice

try but people like you are of no consequence but you talk a good game.

I'm not interested in discussing anything with people of your ilk.

Have a good day and goodbye, :thumbsdown:

[Thor_MN]

25. Hey Jody, does everyone irritate you? If so, why bother? You, have a nice night yourself.

[jody]

26. "everyone irritate" me, no not even people who insult me. Have a pleasant evening yourself. n/t

[Thor_MN]

27. Sorry, my bad. Must just be a seriously overdeveloped need to have the last word.

[jody]

29. OK n/t

[Hope And Change]

6. K & R and off it goes to the greatest page.