Also, does national service mean the military? Nope. Could the country benefit from trading the exhorbitant cost of college tuition for an ROI in government service - during a time of national crisis mind you - from young adults who have proven themselves disciplined enough to get through a four-year degree program? You bet. Will the funding of tuition be tied to performance (GPA > 3.5)? I should think so. Do I sound like Donald Rumsfeld? Heavens to Betsy, yes.
LOL - I can almost picture Rummy saying your exact words!
How about they just get a job and pay their own tuition.
The cost of tuition is atn issue, but as long as the government is giving money to subsidize it, colleges will find stupid ways to spend it. Allow some competitiveness in the college world (get the "board of regents" monopoly out of the way) and there's no reason that colleges can't give a solid education for less than $2000 per year without any subsidy.
Hold On! This "idea" has already been done: by NEA and Dems. In 90s, across this great fruited land, some highschools were demanding "mandatory" volunteerism, in order for students to get their HS diplomas. Small catch: You could only volunteer at places NEA thought were "worthwhile": Planned Parenthood, Animal Shelters, etc. Nope, you could not do volunteer work for your church, boys scouts, etc. I wanna see John Kerry's "list". Like... intern for Kofi Annan?
Hold On! This "idea" has already been done: by NEA and Dems. In 90s, across this great fruited land, some highschools were demanding "mandatory" volunteerism, in order for students to get their HS diplomas. Small catch: You could only volunteer at places NEA thought were "worthwhile": Planned Parenthood, Animal Shelters, etc. Nope, you could not do volunteer work for your church, boys scouts, etc. I wanna see John Kerry's "list". Like... intern for Kofi Annan?
If the government provides more money for college based on peoples sons and daughters serving democratic party causes as "interns", do you think the availabity of more money will drive college costs up or down. Supply and demand. If you increase demand, and supply more money, prices for college will get a double effect and go WAY up.
So, do you want only millionaires' kids or people properly indoctrinated by the democratic party (and used and abused as "interns") by people like Clinton to be eligible for college? Sounds like a sure way to second class citizenship for proud independent Republicans.
I'm not sure I see mandatory in what Kerry actually said. And I like the idea of tying tuition assistance to service. As a matter of fact, I am a big supporter of the GI Bill. Get rid of all the other gov't tuition assistance and offer anyone who qualifies the GI Bill.
If everyone comes in at the high school graduate level, who leads? Where do you get the officers or officer equivalents under this scheme? Sounds good for about three minutes but fails the practicality test.