Bush envisions World Service Corps to rebuild at home and abroad?

Dwayne Hunn

Listening to the President’s verbalized visions of how to help

“failing states,” extend “human dignity and opportunity,” and deal with “devastating” sights; it looks like he envisions putting a million can-do American into the field of needs at home and abroad. Would the President support the World Service Corps proposals?

"We must help raise up the failing states and stagnant societies that provide fertile ground for the terrorists. We must defend and extend a vision of human dignity and opportunity and prosperity, a vision far stronger than the dark appeal of resentment and murder. To spread the vision of hope, the United States is determined to help nations that are struggling with poverty."

President Bush, UN September 14, 2005

And the best resource America has to extend dignity, opportunity, and prosperity, lies amidst millions of can-do Americans. The President knows this. He says it all the time. Just one day later in New Orleans, the President reminded us of what TV has recently reminded every one of us.

“The work that has begun in the Gulf Coast region will be one of the largest reconstruction efforts the world has ever seen. When that job is done, all Americans will have something to be very proud of -- and all Americans are needed in this common effort. It is the armies of compassion -- charities and houses of worship, and idealistic men and women -- that give our reconstruction effort its humanity. They offer to those who hurt a friendly face, an arm around the shoulder, and the reassurance that in hard times, they can count on someone who cares. By land, by sea, and by air, good people wanting to make a difference deployed to the Gulf Coast, and they've been working around the clock ever since.”

President Bush, UN September 14, 2005?

In an era of increased terrorism, poverty, and environmental disasters, we need a full time Army of Compassion that can work locally as well as internationally. The President knows that, since he says it so often. Just days after Katrina hit, the President said:

I've directed the folks in my Cabinet to work with local folks, local officials, to develop a comprehensive strategy to rebuild the communities affected. And there's going to be a lot of rebuilding done. I can't tell you how devastating the sights were.

I want to thank the communities in surrounding states that have welcomed their neighbors during an hour of need. A lot of folks left the affected areas and found refuge with a relative or a friend, and I appreciate you doing that. I also want to thank the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army and the Catholic Charities, and all other members of the armies of compassion. I think the folks in the affected areas are going to be overwhelmed when they realize how many Americans want to help them.

August 31, 2005 President Outlines Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts, The Rose Garden

In that same speech, the President promised a program for those whose homes were devastated by Katrina. And he hinted how a compassionate America could best reinvigorate the homeless, without relying on a huge corporate contractor, endless trailer parks, or barracks.

In return, they would pledge to build on the lot, with either a mortgage or help from a charitable organization like Habitat for Humanity. Home ownership is one of the great strengths of any community, and it must be a central part of our vision for the revival of this region….

The work that has begun in the Gulf Coast region will be one of the largest reconstruction efforts the world has ever seen. When that job is done, all Americans will have something to be very proud of -- and all Americans are needed in this common effort. It is the armies of compassion -- charities and houses of worship, and idealistic men and women -- that give our reconstruction effort its humanity. They offer to those who hurt a friendly face, an arm around the shoulder, and the reassurance that in hard times, they can count on someone who cares…

It's also essential for the many organizations of our country to reach out to your fellow citizens in the Gulf area…

President Discusses Hurricane Relief in Address to the Nation , Jackson Square, New Orleans, Louisiana, September 15, 2005

The compassionate conservative leader of the world’s still strongest nation verbally recognizes America’s “armies of compassion” as it strongest asset. The logical next step then is to increase the strenght, size, and productivity of those American armies.

The most cost effective means to do that is through enacting the citizen-initiative World Service Corps proposed congressional legislation into law. To have that happen, however, a grassroots movement will be needed, since it seems many people don’t have the visionary, practical, and cost effective proposals that builds America’s compassionate army.

Large corporations, too often tied to a profitable bottom line, rather than patriotism and civic service, don’t immediately respond with can-do compassionate action, as do can-do Americans. We need to mobilize those skilled, willing, and compassionate Americans into a bigger army to handle today’s increasingly complex world problems that stem from ignorance, poverty and disasters.

The World Service Corps does that by adding approximately 130,000 volunteering Americans each year for the next six years to the World Service Corps. By the seventh year, one million American volunteers, aged 18 – 60+, would be serving in their choice of the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Habitat for Humanity, Head Start, Doctors Without Borders, or the Red Cross, International Rescue Committee, OxFam, State Conservation Corps, etc.

When the next hurricane comes, the President would not have to rely on a bungling bureaucracy, or mistakenly claim that only the military can handle such disasters. No, the World Service Corps volunteers would be bolstering those organizations that truly know how to handle disasters. And the organizations that have a history of handling disasters would be muscled with a million more Americans trained to make our armies of compassion even stronger.

America would have the same army to deal with the growing Ugly American image abroad that only helps the terrorists in their recruitment. And what is the minimal cost to us?

The equivalent of two years of community plus two years of state college tuition, equivalent educational loan pay off, or investment in Medical or IRA Accounts. In 2004 dollars, that amounts to $15,000. All that money circulates, multiplies, and smartens the American economy. It doesn’t go to corporations that value profit over patriotism. It doesn’t go to China and oil nations to buy and own our debt.

That army of a million more trained, ready, and serving Americans makes us a stronger nation. However, to move the citizen-initiative World Service Corps proposed congressional legislation into law, these proposals need your grass root support. You can start by signing the on-line Petition as www.worldservicecorps.us, learning more about the proposals, and by donating to place media adds in your locality.

Help deal with poverty, ignorance, wars, and disasters by enacting the World Service Corps into law. Let the World Service Corps run its 20 Sunset Clause, and see if the world isn’t better for you and the young ones you love.