Democrats and the Draft: Kerry Advocates Mandatory Service to Graduate from High School

Archived Official Kerry Website ^ | Kerry Campaign Offical Website

[TommyC1]

National Service Plan Highlights

"Service for College" Initiative

As President, John Kerry will call on young people to help strengthen America's security and address unmet community needs. In return, he believes we should offer young Americans and their families the opportunity for a college education. A Kerry Administration will offer Americans the chance to earn the equivalent of their state's four-year public college tuition in exchange for two years of service. If service members decide not to go to college, their award can be used for job training or to help start a business. John Kerry will set a national goal of half a million young people serving their nation every year within ten years. President Bush promised to double AmeriCorps, but he broke that promise and let Congressional Republicans cut the program in half. John Kerry believes we need to think big and do better and get 500,000 young Americans serving the nation.

100,000 Older Americans in Service

As President, John Kerry will defend and strengthen vital programs such as Medicare and Social Security, but he also believes on calling on America's seniors to give their time, experience, and expertise to an America that needs their help. 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 or a member of their community. Alternatively, seniors will be able to use these funds to defray their own health care costs. John Kerry plans to engage 100,000 seniors a year in service in the next decade.

High School Service Requirement

As President, John Kerry will ensure that every high school student in America performs community service as a requirement for graduation. This service will be a rite of passage for our nation’s youth and will help foster a lifetime of service. States would design service programs that meet their community and educational needs. However, John Kerry does not believe in unfunded mandates. No state would be obligated to implement a service requirement if the federal government does not live up to its obligation to fund the program.

Creating a New Community Defense Service

John Kerry believes we must create a new Community Defense Service to be guided by our nation’s first responders. This service would be comprised of hundreds of thousands of Americans in neighborhoods all over the country. Service captains would be there to make sure our communities have the information they need and are ready to respond a crisis, complimenting but not supplanting the work done by police, fire fighters, and other first defenders. Volunteer Service Captains would receive training and education to assist their communities in the event of an attack. They would be trained to help identify local health professionals and experts in the area, provide information on local evacuation or quarantine plans, and stand ready to be of assistance to first defenders. This initiative would be funded out of the Department of Homeland Security and administered by local community leaders, including first responders. This 'surge' capacity would be in addition to the expanded numbers of first responders John Kerry has already proposed hiring.

A Summer of Service for Teenagers

Thirteen to seventeen year olds are too old for child care and too young for many summer jobs. John Kerry believes we should tap their energy and idealism through a summer of service learning. Supervised by AmeriCorps members, these young people could help out in nursing homes, clean up local areas, or teach seniors computer skills. In turn, they would receive a $500 grant to apply to their college or vocational educations down the road. Parents do not want to leave their children alone all summer but most cannot afford other means of care. The Summer of Service program would give parents peace of mind and at the same time build more responsible and dedicated young citizens and stronger, more vibrant communities.

A Rebirth of the Peace Corps

If there was ever a time that everyday people in developing countries around the world needed to see idealistic, hard-working Americans struggling to help them succeed, it is today, in the aftermath of September 11th. Peace Corps members are the greatest ambassadors of goodwill and foot soldiers for democratization this nation has - and we need more of them. John Kerry believes we need a major expansion of the Peace Corps for this new century and in this new era. In the White House, John Kerry will push to expand the Peace Corps to 25,000 members.

Recruiting More Americans to the Military

The highest form of service is military service. America's military is having trouble recruiting and is increasingly relying on the reserves for active duty. John Kerry believes we must change that. The complicated missions we face and technologies we use depend on it. In a Kerry Administration, no university that receives federal aid will be allowed to ban the ROTC from their campus, except for religious reasons. And the ROTC scholarship program will be adequately funded so that students can attend the college of their choice. John Kerry will also make modernizing our GI benefits a top priority, because no program has been more successful increasing educational opportunities for veterans while also providing an incentive for the best and brightest to make a career out of military

Paid for by John Kerry for President, Inc.

[TommyC1]

This page was recently removed from the Official Kerry Website. Mandatory national service is nothing less than enslaving every high school student. For those who are prone to conspiracy thinking, take a look at his plan for "Community Defense Service." It looks suspiciously like a communist-style neighborhood spy program.

[Lawgvr1955]

I'd be all for it if I only had to serve 4 months.

[taxesareforever]

Talk about dumbing down our military, this plan surely would accomplish that. But then again, that could be Kerry's plan.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Is this legit or a spoof?

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Mandatory volunteer service! That'l teach 'em!

[TigersEye]

Alternatively, seniors will be able to use these funds to defray their own health care costs. John Kerry plans to engage 100,000 seniors a year in service in the next decade.

John Kerry says: "How can we afford Universal Health Care? Simple, you old fogies can work off your debt to the state."

[Merry]

This sounds very expensive. Who is going to pay for all those college tuitions. While the grads work who will pay their salaries. Nothing is for free.

[AVNevis]

Speaking as a High School freshman, I have absolutely no problem with this. It is not a draft, but community service. It seems that since the community has been paying for your education for so long, you ought to give something back. Plus it could teach kids to keep volunterring well into adulthood. However, this might be the only thing I actually agree with Kerry about. Hey, even a broken clock is right twice a day. And besides, by election day he might have another position, or two, or three, or four.

[1FASTGLOCK45]

You could get drafted ;)
Remember Bush secretly wants to reinstate the draft according to Kerry

[11th_VA]

Flip Floppin Bump

[mugs99]

As President, John Kerry will ensure that every high school student in America performs community service as a requirement for graduation. This service will be a rite of passage for our nation's youth and will help foster a lifetime of service.

Worked great for Germany...Hitler Youth.

[nomad]

And yet the Rats are trying to frame Bush on the draft lie.

[nomad]

I hope GW hammers him in the debate on this one!

[TommyC1]

This is legit. Follow the link to the archived site. The Wayback Machine automatically archives web pages and you can see how a web page changes over time.

[sailor4321]

"Mandatory national service is nothing less than enslaving every high school student."

You're absolutely right! Instead, we should be removing that crap in the US Constitution (and most State Constitutions) about citizens being members of the militia. I mean, the idea of actually owing any duty of any sort to one's community or country is just so hopelessly old fashioned (acutally, 18th centurish)! "Hell no, we won't go --- not until you pay us mo..."

[Howlin]

It's legit:

100,000 Older Americans in Service
As President, John Kerry will defend and strengthen vital programs such as Medicare and Social Security, but he also believes on calling on America's seniors to give their time, experience, and expertise to an America that needs their help. 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 or a member of their community. Alternatively, seniors will be able to use these funds to defray their own health care costs. John Kerry plans to engage 100,000 seniors a year in service in the next decade.

[garjog]

"From Each According To His Abilities, To Each According To His Needs".

[Howlin]

Oh, man, this is great stuff!!!

Creating a New Community Defense Service

John Kerry believes we must create a new Community Defense Service to be guided by our nation’s first responders.  This service would be comprised of hundreds of thousands of Americans in neighborhoods all over the country. Service captains would be there to make sure our communities have the information they need and are ready to respond a crisis, complimenting but not supplanting the work done by police, fire fighters, and other first defenders. Volunteer Service Captains would receive training and education to assist their communities in the event of an attack. They would be trained to help identify local health professionals and experts in the area, provide information on local evacuation or quarantine plans, and stand ready to be of assistance to first defenders. This initiative would be funded out of the Department of Homeland Security and administered by local community leaders, including first responders. This 'surge' capacity would be in addition to the expanded numbers of first responders John Kerry has already proposed hiring.

A Summer of Service for Teenagers

Thirteen to seventeen year olds are too old for child care and too young for many summer jobs. John Kerry believes we should tap their energy and idealism through a summer of service learning. Supervised by AmeriCorps members, these young people could help out in nursing homes, clean up local areas, or teach seniors computer skills. In turn, they would receive a $500 grant to apply to their college or vocational educations down the road. Parents do not want to leave their children alone all summer but most cannot afford other means of care. The Summer of Service program would give parents peace of mind and at the same time build more responsible and dedicated young citizens and stronger, more vibrant communities.

High School Service Requirement

As President, John Kerry will ensure that every high school student in America performs community service as a requirement for graduation.  This service will be a rite of passage for our nation’s youth and will help foster a lifetime of service. States would design service programs that meet their community and educational needs.  However, John Kerry does not believe in unfunded mandates.  No state would be obligated to implement a service requirement if the federal government does not live up to its obligation to fund the program.

[sailor4321]

Do you have a problem with a draft for military service? I mean, from a philosophical point of view --- not do you support the idea of implementing a draft right now.

[Howlin]

Keep reading.....he wants 13 to 17 year old doing the work of the government during the summers!!!