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💯 yup the elites send off the cannon fodder while they enjoy their military contractor stock increases on the market. It's just a similar version of what's happening in Russia

I believe this was a goal of Clinton's foundation.

Been a fan of this for years. Build skills, get an education, see other parts of the country…let’s do it!

Hi Scott. Great vid, great idea, sounds like something that could get bipartisan support!

I am a big fan of national service for every American. Could be military. Could be nonmilitary

I already pay people for doing nothing, and not by choice.

ICE is not the model.

Another thing Trump burned to the ground - Americorps

I agree 1000%. So many ways to help this country that will build better citizens, and if we can somehow tie it to reducing there college debt or provide them an easier path to home ownership we would be moving in a great direction .

👍👍👍 Wow! I've been saying this for 30 years! Mix of "economic groups, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation" AND geographic diversity. I enlisted in The Corps from Oakland & met brothers from Bangor, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Fort Wayne, Kansas City, Green Bay, Albuquerque, Seattle . . .

I have said this for some time.

I am all for this.

Sounds exactly like AmeriCorps NCCC except the mandatory part. I did 2 years. And it was the most life changing eye opening experience I’ve had that budded life long friendships. Doge killed the program.

The years I served in AmeriCorps were some of the most meaningful in my life… and it helped me pay for college. Furthermore, it is through service where you form some of your closest friendships. It is exactly the balm we need in this era of isolation!

We need an Aged Care national service.

A damned good idea!

They started this, but it's called ICE. Angry young men needing shit to do and giving the worst option has been a thing since before the Crusades.

Both my kids served in AmeriCorps NCCC between high school and college doing most of the things you mentioned and more. Not only did they earn money towards college from AmeriCorps, but it also helped them earn scholarships given by the schools they chose, and better prepared them for their future

I’d support that. Probably not a great example but Jack Kerouac spent two months as a young man on fire lookout for the US Forest Service. In his books he managed to portray this as a useful and enlightening experience.

that said mandatory anything instantly makes me back away

I'm inclined to agree. If instituted, a 10/20-year "test" that would be seriously evaluated before renewal makes sense. What is true, without a doubt, it's that we currently have corrodes social cohesion.

Love it.

Same here! …and have an urban/rural exchange as well, to break down stereotypes.

The problem is when you have someone like Trump in charge: he would direct them to benefit his own personal and political causes. Making it mandatory means forcing someone to do things against their own personal beliefs and values, not to mention giving a bunch of billionaires free labor.

Agree although I contend I’d like to seethe draft (with few exemptions) reinstated. it’s one area where Israel had the right idea.

This has always been a great idea but is dependent on who is designing the program. If the government puts one dollar into it, they get to decide how it’s run. If Trump in charge of something like this, Stephen Miller would be put at the helm and the fascist indoctrination of American youth begins.

My dissertation was on The Politics of Life-Cycles: Service as a Rite of Passage to Adult Citizenship. Men will take on ad hoc challenges be it in athletics, cults, drugs, gangs, or the military. Better institutional guidance on the male Iliad that can then return as stakeholders in our country.

Yeah, no. This’ll just open the door to mandatory military service should another Trump get in charge. Also, “mandatory” likely means “unpaid labor” (housing and food is not pay). I don’t think the idea is necessarily a bad one, but I’d rather see high schools have volunteer hour requirements.

I have been an advocate of this for many years. I feel it could do wonders to unite our people and give young people a sense of purpose.

Give me an example where this has led to oppression in the past. Also, the tasks proposed here are already voluntary. Anyone can volunteer to do community service, etc.

Mandatory national service would feel like conscription into a fascist forced-labor corps under the current defilers of American governance.

I worked in the YCCIP program in the late 70s as a high school kid and I could see something like that. Let kids select the kind of work and send them to another state.

An excellent idea.

President Obama championed 'national service' - with a bill & funding (2009) 'The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act' Trump of course cut it... National service - like college; lets you meet people from other areas/walks of life - vital to understanding & empathy www.npr.org/2025/05/09/n...

Freaking brilliant. Honestly it’s Americore/WOW with proper funding. Imagine a whole generation connecting & rebuilding this Nation. That would be nice.

I’ve seen so much good come out of AmeriCorps. Could we expand the framework to do this on a much larger scale?

I love this. One more reason: When people experience how fulfilling service is, they’ll be more open to doing the work that’s available when we’re in the coming UBI-based system. I actually think this is very important.