Veteran's Day 2012
I would like to thank everyone that serves in this country's military services. They have done things I am unable to do. Thanks might also be given to first responders that run towards problems rather than away from them.
The country would be will advised to look at the need to institute some form of public service available for everyone. Registering for the draft has an interesting facet. If you don't register, you are not eligible for student loans, Pell Grants, and some other public services.
Serving in the military, teaching in under served areas, helping provide services to our increasingly elderly population or other areas of service that benefit the public should be acceptable public services to qualify for governmental services. Opting out of service, could mean opting out of governmental benefits.
There is one intangible benefit to a program like this. Everybody has some skin in the game. More than a few policy failures in the public sector could be attributed to imbalances when making decisions. I wonder if we would have spent as much money as we have on the Iraq War if we would have sent draftees to the front.
The idea of public service is an idea that needs to be looked at again.
The country would be will advised to look at the need to institute some form of public service available for everyone. Registering for the draft has an interesting facet. If you don't register, you are not eligible for student loans, Pell Grants, and some other public services.
Serving in the military, teaching in under served areas, helping provide services to our increasingly elderly population or other areas of service that benefit the public should be acceptable public services to qualify for governmental services. Opting out of service, could mean opting out of governmental benefits.
There is one intangible benefit to a program like this. Everybody has some skin in the game. More than a few policy failures in the public sector could be attributed to imbalances when making decisions. I wonder if we would have spent as much money as we have on the Iraq War if we would have sent draftees to the front.
The idea of public service is an idea that needs to be looked at again.
On one hand you argue mandatory service is a good idea, in a different world lived through the Vietnam draft, the ultimate forced service. You can see clearly how this can go wrong on so many levels. That said I support "workfare" or welfare in exchange for service. Too bad this was gutted.
ReplyDeleteI heard Tom Ricks comment about the idea of two years of universal service. He was on NPR at the time but has written something in New York Times. As an aside this should start with kids doing more things around the house before they get driven everywhere, sort of like homework A and homework B.
ReplyDeleteI've also liked the idea that national service could be a means to pay for college tuition. Two years of service would equal four years of tuition at a state college. This would be better than a loan. This is like the Americorps model.
ReplyDeleteFor kids still at home, I think there are a lot of opportunities. I always wanted to be the school crossing guard, stopping cars with one hand up, shooing my classmates across the road with the other hand.
Thanks for your comments. There are things to do. Lisvey was a crossing guard in 5th grade, she liked getting to school early and I guess walking around with the yellow patrol was sort of like the elementary school version of a sports letter sweater.
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