[Peace-discuss] [Fwd: [ronpaul-207] "Compulsory universal service" for ages 18-25]

Mon Nov 10 11:03:53 CST 2008

By no means -- I'm talking about all useful work.  In fact military "service" 
(as George Carlin said, a funny name for killing people) would be a small part. 
  We probably do need policeman, but as Brendan Behan put it, "There's no human 
situation so desperate that the presence of a policeman can't make it worse..."

I want to take this proposal, objectionable for all the reasons Wayne lists, and 
turn it into a basis for establishing the principle that everyone has a right to 
a good job, to meaningful work that doesn't depend on the wishes of the owners 
of capital.  Everyone also has the right to a living wage, a guaranteed annual 
income, housing, education, etc.  Right now the owners (Who elected them?) say 
you can have those things only if you pay them, up front. (Look up "surplus 
value" for how it works.)

Before one can do anything in this society, you have to pay rich people first. 
We should change that. --CGE

Karen Medina wrote:
> Only military service? What if the 18-25 year olds could choose service to
> the poor or service to the military?
> 
> Personally, I would have them do both. Service to the poor should come first
> -- and it could actually start younger in high school, maybe over the summer
> break. Military service should wait till 18.
> 
> And I would include compulsery language immersion -- I find it terribly
> embarrassing that so few Americans are not trained in another language.
> 
> RE: remuneration In the Peace Corps, the pay is related to the average pay of
> a host-country professional working in the same town where the volunteer is
> stationed rather than the pay of a person in the US. That way volunteers were
> less likely to spend the higher-than-the-neighbors salary like filthy
> American tourists. Though some volunteers still managed that sort of
> spending.
> 
> -karen medina
> 
> ---- Original message ----
>> Date: Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:25:09 -0600 From: "C. G. Estabrook"
>> <galliher at uiuc.edu> Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] [Fwd: [ronpaul-207]
>> "Compulsory universal service" for ages 18-25] To: "E. Wayne Johnson"
>> <ewj at pigs.ag> Cc: Peace-discuss List <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
>> 
>> Wayne--
>> 
>> Instead of opposing this, we should support it -- with improvements.
>> 
>> Here's how it would work. Young people will know that between the ages of 
>> eighteen and twenty-five, the nation will enlist them for three months of
>> service.
>> 
>> Such service shall be remunerated with a living wage, defined as the annual
>>  amount necessary to support a family, acquire a residence, transportation,
>> etc.
>> 
>> After the initial three months, such adequately-remunerated work may be
>> resumed at any point of the citizen's choosing, and for as long as s/he may
>> wish.
>> 
>> Such service shall include military service.
>> 
>> The manner in which tasks are accomplished shall be determined
>> democratically by those engaged in them.  Notably, labor may be withdrawn
>> with no loss of pay when the task violates the conscience of the worker --
>> by, e.g., environmental destruction, military devastation, etc.
>> 
>> I'm sure you can think of other improvements.  I'm also sure that we agree
>> that an anarchist society has to be a highly organized one.  (Anarchism
>> doesn't mean no rules -- just no rulers.)
>> 
>> Regards, CGE
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> E. Wayne Johnson wrote:
>>> 
>>> -------- Original Message -------- Subject: 	[ronpaul-207] "Compulsory 
>>> universal service" for ages 18-25 Date: 	Sun, 9 Nov 2008 21:58:56 -0500
>>> From: Kurt Fiech <kfiech at hotmail.com> Reply-To: 	ronpaul-207 at meetup.com
>>> To: ronpaul-207 at meetup.com
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Obama's chief of staff choice favors compulsory universal service
>>> 
>>> Rep. Rahm Emanuel <http://www.house.gov/emanuel/photos.shtml> of
>>> Illinois, President-Elect Barack Obama's choice for chief of staff in his
>>> incoming administration, is co-author of a book, /The Plan: Big Ideas for
>>> America/ <http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1586484125/>, that calls for,
>>> among other things, compulsory service for all Americans ages 18 to 25.
>>> The following excerpt is from pages 61-62 of the 2006 book:
>>> 
>>> It's time for a real Patriot Act that brings out the patriot in all of
>>> us. We propose universal civilian service for every young American. Under
>>> this plan, All Americans between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five
>>> will be asked to serve their country by going through three months of
>>> basic training, civil defense preparation and community service. ...
>>> Here's how it would work. Young people will know that between the ages of
>>> eighteen and twenty-five, the nation will enlist them for three months of
>>> civilian service. They'll be asked to report for three months of basic
>>> civil defense training in their state or community, where they will learn
>>> what to do in the event of biochemical, nuclear or conventional attack;
>>> how to assist others in an evacuation; how to respond when a levee breaks
>>> or we're hit by a natural disaster. These young people will be available
>>> to address their communities' most pressing needs.
>>> 
>>> Emanuel and co-author Bruce Reed insist "this is not a draft," but go on
>>> to write of young men and women, "the nation will enlist them for three
>>> months of civilian service." They also warn, "[s]ome Republicans will
>>> squeal about individual freedom," ruling out any likelihood that they
>>> would let people opt out of universal citizen service.
>>> 
>>> As chief of staff, Emanuel will not be in a position to directly
>>> introduce public policy, but his enthusiasm for compulsory service,
>>> combined with Barack Obama's own plan to require high school students to
>>> perform 50 hours of government-approved service 
>>> <http://www.examiner.com/x-536-Civil-Liberties-Examiner%7Ey2008m9d17-The-plausibly-deniable-draft--Obamas-very-modern-take-on-national-service>,
>>>  suggest an unfortunate direction for the new administration.
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