[This is a draft proposal with dates subject to change
based on when foundation funding and a keynoter, such as a Kennedy, Shriver,
or…, are finalized. This draft was
initially posted and outlined with proposed dates in April 19, 2008.]
Kennedy Shriver Re-visioning Conference
What works for today’s domestic & international needs?
This country runs on laws.
If you want to change the country,
write its laws.
People’s Lobby founders, Edwin and Joyce
Koupal
In
the 1960’s, with about 3 billion people roaming planet earth, John Kennedy and
Sarge Shriver offered a vision to deal with the world and our nation’s needs
and ignorances.
And
so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you
can do for your country.
As today’s world approaches
7 billion, our needs are more complex and require smarter involvement by
Americans and with others.
My fellow citizens of the world: ask not
what
1.
Can rebuilding a robust Kennedy Shriver vision work
today?
2.
Can citizens successfully influence Congress to
introduce and pass People’s
Lobby’s non-partisan, citizen-initiated American World Service Corps (AWSC)
Congressional Proposals?
3.
http://www.worldservicecorps.us/world%20service%20key%20proposal%202yr%20volunteer.htm
4.
Can the AWSC be cost-effectively implemented?
5.
Will Americans respond in large enough numbers to
field 21 million AWSC volunteers over 27 years into already existing
governmental and non-governmental organizations?
6.
Can existing organizations manage the increase in
volunteerism?
7.
Will other nations respond with similar programs?
8.
Could other nations responding by implementing their
own robust World Service Corps shift the world from spending so much on
battlefield contests to nation building contests?
These and other questions would be researched and
answered at a series of People’s Lobby Education Foundation
(501c3) conferences.
I. Initial
Conference of those named in People’s
Lobby’s
proposed American World Service Corps (AWSC) Congressional Proposals.
The
first conference would feature representatives from each of the organizations
mention in the AWSC Congressional Proposals (Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Habitat
for Humanity, Head Start, Doctors Without Borders, Red Cross, International
Rescue Committee, OxFam, Mercy Corps, and State Conservation Corps) and perhaps
some other organizations. This initial
conference would measure responses from participating organizations to People’s Lobby’s proposed AWSC congressional
legislation.
1.
Would the organizations
listed in the proposed bill, and others that can be added under the bill,
welcome an influx of twenty-one million American volunteers over the ensuing twenty-seven years to
serve with them?
2.
Would you (the orgranizations) oppose or support the
AWSC Congressional Proposals?
3.
Would you propose changes to the proposed
legislation? If so, what would they be?
4.
Would implementing the AWSC help or harm your
organizational goals?
5.
How would you manage the potential influx of additional
volunteer of varied ages and experience levels?
6.
If supportive, how could
they (the organizations) help rekindle the Shriver Kennedy vision?
7.
Would enough older,
experienced Americans volunteer to sufficiently help address some of the
increased management needs stemming from the increased number of volunteers?
8.
How could and would communities where volunteers serve contribute to
keep overhead costs down?
9.
What, if any, community
commitments should be required of areas served with AWSC volunteers?
We
are requesting Maria Shriver and California Volunteer Coordinator Karen Baker
to at least help pull together and host the first conference and a perhaps some
later conferences. We also will seek
their continued help when needed as the conference structure is established and
implemented.
The
first conference could be held in
II. School research under Kennedy Shriver Re-visioning
Conferences Awards Program.
After
the initial conference, a number of other research conferences would then
commence at various universities and colleges dealing with such questions as
those above. From any interested
departments, such as Public Policy, Government, Economics Journalism, etc.,
departments, teams of three - five students would produce papers, media
productions, etc. that would research, analyze, and draw conclusions around
whether Congress should pass and implement People’s
Lobby’s
non-partisan, citizen-initiated American World Service Corps (AWSC)
Congressional Proposals.
Each
school shall submit ten papers or productions that will compete for three
prizes awarded to the winners at each school:
$250, $500, $1,500. If schools
have more than ten team submissions, they will establish a process that culls
the number down to ten submissions for the Shriver Kennedy Re-visioning
Conference panel of judges.
III. The mix
of colleges and universities we are presently considering include: (Subject to change)
1.
2.
3.
Claremont Colleges.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Stanford.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
In addition to any questions listed as samples in
this outline, students and professors may research and integrate other analyses
into their projects.
1.
What economic models reflect the strengths or weaknesses of
implementing the AWSC proposals?
2.
Will economic modeling
determine whether funding 27 years of fielding 21 million AWSC volunteers is an
economy draining cost, beneficial long-term investment, or stimulus?
3.
What are the longer-term
spin-offs of implementing the AWSC?
4.
What is the likelihood of
this kind of program being replicated by other nations? What would be the effects of that?
5.
What are the implications
on national and international politics and policies of implementing the AWSC?
6.
How would this impact
military service?
7.
What are the primary
impediments to implementing the AWSC?
8.
Who or what groups are
likely to oppose? To support? Why?
9.
Who benefits and who
suffers from implementing such a program?
10.
What is your estimate of
the revenue stream that the unorthodox funding streams in the proposed
legislation will yield?
11.
In today’s political
climate, what are the voluntary “Forbes 2% Solution” and “Non-tax Paying
Corporate Donation” revenue streams proposed in the bill likely to yield? Why?
12.
What other revenue
streams would you propose?
13.
Will implementing the
AWSC cause cost reductions or increases in other budgeted areas in the short
and long run? To what degree?
14.
How does having 18 – 70+
year olds, rich and poor, volunteering together to address national and
international needs affect community and nation?
IV. Proposed
media judges.
We will request the following media to provide
judges from their staffs:
1.
American Spectator.
2.
Foreign Policy Journal.
3.
Colbert Nation Show.
4.
Daily Show.
5.
LA Times.
6.
Nation.
7.
National Review.
8.
Newsweek.
9.
New York Times
10.
Oprah Show
11.
San Francisco Chronicle.
12.
Time.
13.
The Nation.
14.
US News.
15.
Each
judging entity would judge entries from one school. The schools would be randomly selected and
assigned to the judging entities.
Each
student team will submit a 2-10 page Executive Summary that accompanies their
project submission, which may be a paper, audio, video, documentary, or
creation of their choice.
People’s Lobby Education Foundation (501c3)
needs rapid funding in order to acquire staff and cover costs of this project. People’s
Lobby’s
rebuilding staff of one + a few volunteers cannot pull this off without timely
funding. The preferred schedule is:
A.
The initial Shriver Kennedy Re-visioning Conference hosted by Maria
Shriver by July of 2008.
B.
Agreements from participating schools and media judges by August, so
the Shriver Kennedy Re-visioning Conference can be presented to incoming
classes in September.
C.
Project completion from schools by December 15thy and the ten
submissions then assigned to judges by January 10th.
D.
Media judging completed by February 10th.
E.
Winners announced in February.
F.
Executive summaries and full reports submitted to Congress at opening
of 111th Congress in February or March 2009.
G.
Top student winners make Congressional presentations regarding their
findings.
Isn’t
it time to involve our students in deciding whether citizen-driven legislation
can work for the world we are leaving them?
Draft
re-posted August 3, 2008
Outline
of grant application to foundations and for presentation to Maria Shriver.