What is Digg?79 Comments
- johndavidjack, on 09/17/2008, -18/+51I dunno about everyone else, but I was under the impression the true definition of charity and "volunteer" work had nothing to do with incentives or indoctrinations.
- JenniferInMO, on 09/18/2008, -4/+32Please read something other than hate blogs. Obama's plan isn't mandatory. Obama is proposing to give college students money in exchange for community service. For kids who do 40 hours of community service work per year in middle school and high school they will be eligible to receive $4,000 in money for college, but to keep it up they must do an additional 100 hours a year while in college. IT IS NOT MANDATORY as the misleading title says. The same thing goes for the elderly. The elderly can receive additional benefits if they do some community service work. They do not have to do it and their existing benefits will not change if they choose not to.
- PuterPrsn, on 09/17/2008, -25/+49$40/hour? And to think - I'm making $10, he considers me one of the "wealthy" to be taxed, and then he'll take some of my money to pay those people who have the time to work for his $40. How does this help me again?
- charm803, on 09/18/2008, -1/+24I wish I had this while I was in college!
I got stuck with student loans and had to work two jobs to pay them while IN college. - charm803, on 09/18/2008, -2/+23Let's see-
Volunteer for college money vs. a loan at a high interest rate that you end up paying for years after you graduate.
Choices. You have them!
You guys are a bunch of selfish, materialistic bastards who live beyond their means and think credit cards and loans are the way to go.
This OPTION of college money is good for your financial future. - USArugula, on 09/18/2008, -2/+19I've never seen so many idiots come out against access to education.
- SydBloom, on 09/17/2008, -27/+42Stalinists use this technique as a standard practice.
- inactive, on 09/17/2008, -26/+41Obama doesn't trust the average voter to do the right thing. If he did, there'd be no need for government-run "voluntary universal" service. Have we always been at war with Eastasia, Barry?
- WootZoot, on 09/17/2008, -16/+29That sounds like a really good idea, and I know when I forward this story to all my undecided voter friends, they will agree.
- freeforall232, on 09/17/2008, -27/+40Don't worry. Obama will pay for it by taxing business owners. You know, the business owners who might have given a job to these kids in the first place but now can't because they're paying higher taxes to the government so the government can give the kids money?
Democrats and Logic haven't been on speaking terms in decades... - quidpro, on 09/17/2008, -18/+31I'm all freakin for it. Other countries have mandatory enlistment for chrissakes. What's wrong with some community service? I had to do 40hrs to graduate from high school. Picked the retirement home. It was a great, sad, and educational experience.
Oh right, I forgot: "Give me something for nothing!!, Bail out my company now!! Yada yada" - the American "Non-Communist" Way - CPMan, on 09/17/2008, -5/+16"Morality cannot exist one minute without freedom... Only a free man can possibly be moral. Unless a good deed is voluntary, it has no moral significance." —Everett Martin
- JenniferInMO, on 09/18/2008, -1/+11Yes it is, but since Americans have been so strapped, donations to charity and volunteer work has dropped. Catholic schools usually require weekly hours of community service and it has proved to continue into adulthood.
- DavidtheMavin, on 11/11/2008, -11/+21Better then forbidding them to teach the use of contraception!
- skmckinny, on 09/17/2008, -25/+34Best way to kill the labor market and make this a communist society.
- Gemfinder, on 09/18/2008, -2/+11How is this program any different from the Peace Corps or the Conservation Corps?
And it's a damn sight better than entering the National Guard for your college tuition...and then getting shipped off to Mesopotamia. Sucker!
Wouldn't you rather stay in your community and pick up skills in a soup kitchen or Habitat For Humanity? Library? Veterans' hall? - radiofrequency, on 09/17/2008, -22/+31$40/hr is $80,000 a year. Significantly more than median HOUSEHOLD salary in America. We're going to pay 13 year-olds that kind of rate? What kind of service are they doing? Engineering? Litigation? Starting salary for a medical doctor (about 12 years of schooling and internships) in most specialties is $90,000/yr or $45/hr.
Talk about being out of touch. - reaper527, on 09/17/2008, -23/+32if the plan is truly optional, don't spend MY tax dollars on it! hopefully this socialist won't get anywhere near the whitehouse.
- DerangedPenguin, on 09/17/2008, -5/+14not quite $90K per year when you figure in Malpractice insurance rates. Good friend of mine graduated Medical School, started his internship and made less money after paying bills than I made as a lowly electronics technician in the Navy. The guy was living off of Ramen noodles served on cardboard boxes that made up his kitchen table.
- DerangedPenguin, on 09/17/2008, -4/+13Yes we are bailing out the Congress brain children Fatty Mae and FreddyMacDaddy. Two more reasons to never trust a politician with your money.
- JenniferInMO, on 09/18/2008, -3/+11But we don't do the right thing. Since we have been struggling financially and government funding for community service and charitable organizations have been cut our communities need us and we, as Americans haven't had the time. Community service isn't bad for anyone. If you want government aid for college what's wrong with working for it by helping your neighbor? Or do you just think you should be entitled to government assistance without having to do anything in return?
- JenniferInMO, on 09/18/2008, -4/+12Unless you make more than $250,000 you will receive a hefty tax break from Obama's plan. If you make less than $111,000 you will get much more of a tax break than under McCain's plan. You can calculate your tax savings under both plans here: http://alchemytoday.com/obamataxcut/ or see it in a graphic here (notice how pretty your savings will be under McCain's plan if you make more than a million a year: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graph ...
Obama's plan makes healthcare more affordable, raises the quality of healthcare and gives you choices. McCain will tax your healthcare premiums. Obama's plan gets us 80% off of fossil fuels/foreign oil and onto renewables in 4 years (and as someone who works in the oil and gas industry and in renewables I can tell you that it can be done). Obama also has a sweeping education reform bill and college assistance. All of Obama's plans together cost less than McCain's plans by $1.3 Trillion.
McCain throws little bones at us, but he is owned by the lobbyists who run his campaign and who will run his administration. You need to start questioning whether you should be loyal to your party or loyal to your country. - USArugula, on 09/18/2008, -1/+9No, because service to the Soviet Union wasn't opt-in.
Of course, I'm sure you prefer rebuilding Iraq to rebuilding America. - jimchap, on 09/18/2008, -3/+10This is one of those distortions that Repulicrats love. Lies, smears and more lies.
There's a basic disconnect from issues and reality and a bunch of phoney flag waving, God loving ***** to hide behind. Ignorance can't hide behind any flag. Read a book you *****.
Obama wins hands down as the American people stop reading People for their political information. - DerangedPenguin, on 09/17/2008, -9/+16"Democrats and Logic haven't been on speaking terms in decades." I love it may I quote you?
- JenniferInMO, on 09/18/2008, -1/+8Slaves? you are an idiot. How is requiring 40 hours of community service a YEAR going to hurt a middle school and high school aged child. Catholic schools require it and studies show that spirit carries on into adulthood. If a kid doesn't want free government aid for college he doesn't have to participate. Or would you rather kids just get the money for free? Are you just one of those people who thinks we should be entitled to something from the government without having to do anything in return.
- JenniferInMO, on 09/18/2008, -2/+9It is part of his overall economic plan which costs $1.3 Trillion less than McCain's plan
- JenniferInMO, on 09/18/2008, -2/+8There is no "forcing" going on here. It is in exchange for college money. NO one is required to do it.
READ people. - JenniferInMO, on 09/18/2008, -3/+9Settle down. You have misread the plan. The $40/hr isn't what middle school and high school kids get paid. Kids in middle schools and high school would have to do 40 hours of unpaid volunteer work a year to qualify for college aid. That is hardly anything and if they don't want government aid for college they don't have to do it.
The hourly rate you refer to is what the equivalent of the student aid would be in exchange for 100 hours of community service that the kids will have to do to maintain their college aid. The student aid is capped, so no, they don't get more money if they do more than 100 hours of community service per year.
This program just requires kids to do something for their community in exchange for student aid. The few grants we give out these days don't require anything in return. Don't you think that is reasonable? Or do you think they should just be entitled to free money from the government? - Gemfinder, on 09/18/2008, -1/+7There are 52 weeks in a year. One hour a week leaves three months where the children don't have to do anything at all...kind of like summer vacation.
So basically the kids would have to give up one hour of one week of after-school time, and most likely they'll be helping take care of kittens and puppies at the pound.
How many children do you know that would pass up an hour of playing with puppies and kittens once a week? Heck, most of the kids I know would do it every day! - USArugula, on 09/18/2008, -4/+10"$40/hour? And to think - I'm making $10, he considers me one of the 'wealthy' to be taxed"
$10 per hour? That means you only make $20,800 per year. You're $229,200 shy of seeing a tax increase under Obama. In fact, under Obama, you would pay $892 LESS in taxes -- a significantly larger cut than McCain's $132.
Perhaps if you took part in his college-tuition-for-service program, you could increase your income and comprehend the basic facts of his tax plan all in one fell swoop.
I refer you back to the link posted by JenniferMO: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graph ... - xcspyder, on 09/17/2008, -4/+9Well this policy leans extremely on the socialist side. Can you explain to me why you think it doesn't.
Or do you want us to use another word and be more "pc". Ok instead of "socialist" how about something that makes it sound good and moving in the right direction. I know, how about "progressive". Sounds great doesn't it? Everyone wants to be making progress and if someone disagrees with your views then you can argue with "I can't believe you are against progress". That will shut them up in a hurry. Then you can throw all the policies in the world down peoples throats. You will also no longer have to talk about those policies or explain them because it is all in the name of progress. Oh how I love progress it sure gives people hope. Hope just like Obama. Empty Hope. Empty Hope just like Obama. - MediaWeasel, on 09/18/2008, -1/+6Hmmm .. perish the thought that young people might get a very useful extra education when volunteeringin some sector or other - and with all those choices too. Makes them even better citizens, gives them a wider view of society, nurtures their potential for good work.
They don't have to volunteer. It's simply that if they do, they'll get some college funding.Nothing wrong with that.
The person trying to bring in the draft by stealth is McCain. Remember that little crack at someone who had the audacity to ask him a difficult question? "You're drafted". Yeah nice joke McCain - draft someone to the front line to get killed so that McCain can pursue his murderous vendettas? - Coven, on 09/18/2008, -2/+740 hours per year!? That's like child labor! No child should have to work less than an hour a week!!! Obama wants to open government funded sweatshops!
These idiots will twist anything to fit their agenda, wont they? This community service plan is brilliant and will make this country a better place. - USArugula, on 09/18/2008, -1/+6Slaves don't get paid. Slaves don't have the freedom to not participate. The option to work in exchange for services is not slavery.
All those "Hmmmmmmmmm"s and you managed to do no thinking at all. - migshark, on 09/17/2008, -13/+17100 hours if you're in college. You can't do it year-round. The money will likely come from ending the war in Iraq. You only get paid for things that contribute to a community. This is called being constructive. A greener world. More students. Pensioners not dying of frostbite.
I can see why this may be hard for you to accept.
Watch the ad, read the plan.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13529.ht ... - Coven, on 09/18/2008, -1/+5Hiya Godwin, wonderful day we're having, isn't it?
- USArugula, on 09/18/2008, -4/+8Soooo, you're calling our troops, who get paid for their service to our country as well as educational incentives, communists?
- Tbyrd073, on 09/17/2008, -22/+26Yet another plan put forward by Obama that he hasn't said anything about how he is going to pay for it. I firmly believe that Obama is going to have a stock market crash during his time as president if he is elected. He cant possibly think that taxing the rich business owners so much is going to help the economy, just like I don't know how the hell he is going to pay scholarships for someone who is simply involved in Habitat for Humanity at any college in the US at a rate of $40/hr..
- sullivanst, on 09/18/2008, -3/+7I'm pretty sure the republidiots are digging this blog BECAUSE it's such a lie.
Just like I'm pretty sure they support McCain and Palin BECAUSE they're such liars.
Why do they hate this country so much, to WANT criminals, liars and incompetents running it? - USArugula, on 09/18/2008, -2/+5Freedom isn't free. It's paid for with blood, sweat and taxes.
- Gemfinder, on 09/18/2008, -1/+4Nope.
Benefits are benefits, they don't go away.
Unless Social Security is privatized, which it wouldn't be under Obama. He opposes privatizing Social Security. - Tbyrd073, on 09/18/2008, -0/+3Not saying I support McCain's plan either or what Bush has done since 9/11 but I don't see Obama's plan helping us any either.
- inactive, on 09/17/2008, -25/+27Isn't that what all good little communists are supposed to do?
- USArugula, on 09/19/2008, -0/+2I'm disagreeing with your comment. You are one of those folks who wants the freedom that America provides, who wants to believe we are the greatest nation on earth, but when it comes to paying your share to keep that true, you call it socialism.
We live in a global marketplace. As such, our citizenry now has to compete against other nations for jobs. Yet the United States ranks behind South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Finland, Australia, Belgium, Austria, Hungary, Netherlands and the United Kingdom in education. Not only do your ill-informed cries of socialism cripple our ability to compete, but by leaving educational access only to those who can pay for it out of pocket, you limit the talent pool from which we have to choose our future leaders. College educations are imperative to the future of this country.
People like you claim liberals hate America, but in truth, it is you who are cutting America off at the knees.
So quit whining and carry your share of the load. - professor357, on 09/24/2008, -0/+2He's planning to train [brainwash] these kids into being the good little Obamatons who believe government is there for cradle to grave control of your life. If that isn't Marxist socialism, I don't know what is.
- USArugula, on 09/18/2008, -3/+5It's not a mandatory service program. You are more then welcome to opt-out and pay your own tuition.
- inactive, on 09/18/2008, -1/+2Singularityv: If you don't want to perform, hell don't.
But if you do help out your community, you provide value. That value is then returned to you as consideration for financial aid for school.
I don't see a problem with that. - inactive, on 09/18/2008, -2/+3And what about those of us who don't want to perform public service?
If I had kids, I'd pull them out of school.
By the way, Americans voluntarily contribute $300 billion per year to charity. That's more per capita than anyone else. - inactive, on 09/18/2008, -1/+2I don't want govenrment assistance, and I don't want to perform any form of community service.
Obama will make community service mandatory. Thankfully, since I graduated high school years and years ago, I'm grandfathered in, but I feel sorry for today's kids. -
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