Hatch dedicates $6 billion GIVE/SERVE boondoggle to Kennedy; plus: mandatory service study lives!
God save us from bipartisanship, part 99,995,857. GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch, co-sponsor of the $6 billion GIVE/SERVE boondoggle, has dedicated the Big Government Trojan Horse to Ted Kennedy:
Sen. Orrin Hatch capped his decadeslong friendship with cancer-stricken Sen. Ted Kennedy on Thursday with a gesture that had Kennedy hugging him as other senators stood and applauded: Hatch renamed a bill they had just passed to expand national service programs the Edward M. Kennedy National Service Law.
“It is a great honor to be able to add the name of a very good friend and senator, one of the most distinguished of all-time, to this bill,” Hatch told the Senate. “We expect this to multiply into 7 million volunteers, and to call it the Edward M. Kennedy bill is a great honor for all of us.”
Ironically, when Hatch first ran for the Senate back in 1976, he said he was running so he could go to Washington and fight Kennedy. But they managed to become close friends — and worked on many bills through the years trying to bridge interests between liberals and conservatives.
About their, perhaps, last bill together, Hatch said, “It marries what is typically thought of as a ‘liberal’ instinct for government to make proactive efforts to help those in need with the typical ‘conservative’ desire to place more power in the hands of individuals instead of the government.”
(link)
On a related note, the congressional push to study a mandatory service requirement was dropped from the GIVE/SERVE package, but is part of a stand-alone bill to establish the “Congressional Commission on Civic Service.”
It’s HR 1444:
To establish the Congressional Commission on Civic Service to study methods of improving and promoting volunteerism and national service, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘Congressional Commission on Civic Service Act’.SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:(1) The social fabric of the United States is stronger if individuals in the United States are committed to protecting and serving our Nation by utilizing national service and volunteerism to overcome our
civic challenges.(2) A more engaged civic society will strengthen the Nation by bringing together people from diverse backgrounds and experiences to work on solutions to some of our Nation’s major challenges.
(3) Despite declines in civic health in the past 30 years, national service and volunteerism among the Nation’s youth are increasing, and existing national service and volunteer programs greatly enhance opportunities for youth to engage in civic activity.
(4) In addition to the benefits received by nonprofit organizations and society as a whole, volunteering and national service provide a variety of personal benefits and satisfaction and can lead to new paths of civic engagement, responsibility, and upward mobility.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established in the legislative branch a commission to be known as the ‘Congressional Commission on Civic Service’ (in this Act referred to as the ‘Commission’).
SEC. 4. DUTIES.
(a) General Purpose- The purpose of the Commission is to gather and analyze information in order to make recommendations to Congress to–
(1) improve the ability of individuals in the United States to serve others and, by doing so, to enhance our Nation and the global community;
(2) train leaders in public service organizations to better utilize individuals committed to national service and volunteerism as they manage human and fiscal resources;
(3) identify and offer solutions to the barriers that make it difficult for some individuals in the United States to volunteer or perform national service; and
(4) build on the foundation of service and volunteer opportunities that are currently available.
(b) Specific Topics- In carrying out its general purpose under subsection (a), the Commission shall address and analyze the following specific topics:
(1) The level of understanding about the current Federal, State, and local volunteer programs and opportunities for service among individuals in the United States.
(2) The issues that deter volunteerism and national service, particularly among young people, and how the identified issues can be overcome.
(3) Whether there is an appropriate role for Federal, State, and local governments in overcoming the issues that deter volunteerism and national service and, if appropriate, how to expand the relationships and partnerships between different levels of government in promoting volunteerism and national service.
(4) Whether existing databases are effective in matching community needs to would-be volunteers and service providers.(5) The effect on the Nation, on those who serve, and on the families of those who serve, if all individuals in the United States were expected to perform national service or were required to perform a certain amount of national service.
(6) Whether a workable, fair, and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young
people could be developed, and how such a requirement could be implemented in a manner that would strengthen the social fabric of the Nation and overcome civic challenges by bringing together people from diverse economic, ethnic, and educational backgrounds.(7) The need for a public service academy, a 4-year institution that offers a federally funded undergraduate education with a focus on training future public sector leaders.
(8) The means to develop awareness of national service and volunteer opportunities at a young age by creating, expanding, and promoting service options for primary and secondary school students and by raising awareness of existing incentives.
(9) The effectiveness of establishing a training program on college campuses to recruit and educate college students for national service.
(10) The effect on United States diplomacy and foreign policy interests of expanding service opportunities abroad, such as the Peace Corps, and the degree of need and capacity abroad for an expansion.
(11) The constraints that service providers, nonprofit organizations, and State and local agencies face in utilizing federally funded volunteer programs, and how these constraints can be overcome.
(12) Whether current Federal volunteer programs are suited to address the special skills and needs of senior volunteers, and if not, how these programs can be improved such that the Federal government can effectively promote service among the ‘baby boomer’ generation.
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Trackbacks
- Six Meat Buffet » Blog Archive » Senator Alexander Wants You To Give/Serve!
- H.R. 1444: “mandatory service” lives! | Liberty Confidential
- The Creepy National Service Bill is Back | The American Pundit
- GIVE/SERVE Act’s push toward mandatory civil service lives in H.R. 1444 | Unequal Time
- It’s Ba-ack: Obama’s Mandatory Civic Service Act « Nice Deb
- The CCCS Sounds Like the CCCP « Gunservatively!
- Sobering Up After the Obama Drunkfest | The Great Illuminator
- The TIW Blog » Blog Archive » Playing footsie with the enemy: Orin hatch needs to go
- The Nobama Blog » Blog Archive » Volunteer or Else!
- AntiObamaBlog.com » Obama Needs to Learn From Britain’s History and from Daniel Hannan
- From the Mind of Splittfinger
- GIVE/SERVE Act passes Senate…required-service creepiness now part of H.R. 1444 - techsan’s blog - RedState
- Liberty Confidential » Blog Archive » H.R. 1444: “mandatory service” lives!
- Obama finds perfect location for his first GIVE/SERVE re-education/death camp — Cynthia Yockey
- Designated Conservative
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I’ve drawn my line in the sand guys. When I first heard of this BS idea several weeks ago, I was completely beside myself. I was practially frantic, but no more. My kids are going nowhere, period. It’s really just that simple.
And I just don’t even know what to think if the GOP doesn’t get its $hit togther so we can take control in 2010 and in 2012 when we can get that MFer out of office.
I stand corrected on the dates. The Mormon ancestor, Alvah Alexander, was BORN in 1799, married in 1822, and died in 1890. He lived in Sharon, Vermont and knew the family of Joseph Smith. He followed Joseph Smith to Illinois where, I believe, Smith died. Alvah then went on to Salt Lake City. I think I have that right. Anyway, his brother, Lewis, was my great-great grandfather. Orin Hatch is descended from Alvah.
Chap, please read the first half of this and let me know what you think.
I can already appreciate you probably wouldn’t care for the 2nd-half partisan rant, so no worries addressing that. I’m just genuinely curious what prompted you to classify GOTV as a valid “charity” in your opinion.
Not 501(c)3s and churches. 501(c)4s can.
The IRS. Of course the rub is “non-partisan.”
That is wrong. 501(c)(3) can engage in limited amounts of lobbying activities under 2 tests. One is the “substantial part test” and the other is a pure expenditure test under 501(h). And they can engage in unlimited lobbying under certain circumstances (i.e., “self preservation”).
Tax exempt tax law (bit of a oxymoron) used to be a sub-specialty of mine. I am right about this. You may be thinking of participating in political campaigns, which is strictly prohibited, but different from lobbying.
I was actually more interested in your opinion and reaction to the article rather than the official legal listing… Otherwise there’d be no argument over whether gay marriage was “valid,” know what I mean?
Do you feel GOTV is “valid” as a charitable activity, regardless of tax filing… why or why not?
If it can be done in a truly nonpartisan way? Sure. I think promotion of civic duties is a fine goal. Maybe a little further down the list than caring for lepers.
Fair enough. I think we have yet to see the purely-altruistic GOTV movement though, and likely never will. There’s always a cause-celebre, and the results of the GOTV always seem to benefit the organizers far more than the “charity cases” if it truly even benefits them at all … which is what makes it difficult for me to square with the classical definition of charity.
Heh, pay me $10 to give someone $5!
Happy – You and I just may be distantly related by marriage… lol
Perhaps the biggest pile of crap I have ever read. Funding this nonsense in the middle of a recession showshow utterly irresponsible and clueless the non-socialists who support this are.
Hatch is the poster child for people who have served too long.
That’s funny! I have actually found dozens of Alexander cousins on the Web. We are all descended from Jabez Alexander (born in 1755), who had 16 children with 2 wives. The last of that “dirty old man’s” children was born when he was 79 years old! Ha! He was in the American Revolution under General Gates in Vermont/New Hampshire. One of the Alexander lines goes all the way back to the Mayflower and Elder William Brewster! Orin Hatch is descended from Alvah, who is the only Alexander who ended up in the Mormon religion. Having so much contact with my Mormon cousins has given me a real respect for the Morman religion and traditions! By the way, I have an Alexander cousin by the name of Joy who was on our cousin mailing list…you wouldn’t be that one, would you? That would be a huge coincidence!
I bet they all walk around the inner circle laughing and yucking it up saying “we’ll just print more!” “hahahahhaa”
Hildebeast promising gazzillions to Gaza, Gazzillions going south of our border, omni spendalishus, a trillion for stimulus a trillion here there and everywhere, Wednesday parties, Air Force One…. the list is growing like the blob and it’s out of control.
Wonder what the exact total is since the 20th of Jan?
Odopey’s ego is one for the ages and he is going to fall hard.
90% of all this spending is a joke and has nothing to do with recovery, zip, nada zilch.
Pathetic.
Sen. Hatch needs to go back to making his CDs rather than screwing up even more things in this country.
Happy – I’m not an Alexander. I looked up the Alvah record and my great great great Grandfather would be the brother of one of Alvah’s relations. To my knowledge I don’t have any direct relatives who are Mormons. As far as I can tell I’m the first in my family.
Anyone who lived through Navoo and trekked to Salt Lake has some tough blood in them. I’m still working on my geneology. It is fun.
79? Sheeeeeeeesh…
Isn’t it bad enough that Reid is LDS? Now I have to be embarrassed of Hatch too? It makes no sense considering how conservative most Mormons are. I can’t imagine what happened to those two.
Seems appropriate to name the bill after Teddy. After all, Teddy ruined immigration policy. He ruined the health care industry, and he ruined education.
Why wouldn’t we name the bill responsible for the final ruination of our country after him?
Roger – Very good point…
and sad.
Flyoverman said: “Perhaps the biggest pile of crap I have ever read.”
As my son once said…..You can’t shine a turd…..but you can roll it in glitter on it to make it look pretty
scratch “on it” LOL!
I can. Power. At least Mitt Romney hasn’t gone to the dark side and you can still be proud of him! Good luck with your genealogy quests. It is one of my biggest hobbies (next to scrapbooking) and I have been researching for about 20 years. I actually have a 13 page document tracing myself back to Adam and Eve. Yeah, I know…it can’t be that accurate, but if you can trace yourself to a king in England, their royal genealogists have done the mapping to Adam and Eve and it is on the internet. It is fun just to see what they have done using the Bible, which is full of genealogy. I am supposedly descended from Noah’s son, Japheth.
There was a time I did admire Senator Hatch-and others. They go to DC, receive all the perks, pomp and power and it does change them.
The Senator thinks he is a good person–while MANAGING human and fiscal resources that are not his to manage. ‘conservative’ desire to place more power in the hands of individuals as it were his to give. The Senator is in to NewSpeak.
And happyscrapper be of good cheer- you are at least descended from Japheth’s father.
Ha! Good point. And that is a fact we can verify.
I can’t believe that Orrin Hatch would do such a thing. It appears that universal health care will follow the same path–a dedication to Ted Kennedy. If they want to honor the guy, give him a plaque and a gold watch; but don’t pass major legislation to honor this guy. What an embarrassment!
About right Durangodarlin-a plaque and a gold watch to Senator Hatch, McCain, other RINOs too as we bid them “Good Bye-you have stayed too long”.
I was think a rail but a plaque and a gold watch would get them gone
I share your attitude, MBuck; it’s realistic.
The willingness to stand against tyranny and the loss of all that we value in our country and our culture should not be predicated on the naive belief that we will not, ourselves, bleed and die in the struggle. I am less concerned with my own probable pain than with how much I can inflict on the forces of evil, which are now everywhere around us.
(I saw today that a great mob in Oakland is chanting “genocide” in support of their copy-killing hero. There is no compromise possible with such people. And the president of Brazil is shrieking about the “blue-eyed Anglo-Saxons” responsible for the world economic crisis forgetting to mention that he would be squatting in the jungle if those same people had not created prosperity and modernity. And the Spanish are dicking around with the idea of putting Bush officials on trial for their “crimes” in the war on terror. Yes, I have acquired ammo. And I do not overly value my own life.)
Does anything Whoreon Hatch does surprise any rational person. This guy is enough to gag a maggot.
Sen. Hatch is yet another shining example of why some of the energy commenters expend here at michellemalkin.com should be channeled in the direction of their state Reps, Senators and Assemblypeople to get them to petition the US Congress to call an Article Five Convention for the purpose of proposing Constitutional amendments including term limits for Congress and the Federal judicary – the kind of amendments which the House and Senate Judiciary Committees
Well, I certainly cant think of any other senator who left a girl friend to drown after he drove drunk off of a bridge and then was never held accountable because he’s a Kennedy, fine upstanding man that he is. Go home to Utah, Orrin, you old RINO, sit on the porch and watch the sun set.
TERM LIMITS NOW!
Something else I never understood. Last night I watched a profile of Jimmy Hoffa, and how Booby, excuse me, Bobby Kennedy wanted his scalp. I never understood why Booby was so hot after corrupt unions, organized crime and the Mafia when it was all of the above that helped his brother into the White House. Kennedys have no gratitude.
I’m no fan of Hoffa – he was a thug and a crook. But at least he stood up to the Kennedys and that gives him points in my book.
No, Romney is trying to convince people he came FROM the dark side. He flipped on abortion and gun control when it was politically expedient for him. He refused to stand up to the Mass supreme court over gay marriage. And I am not convinced a true conservative Republican could ever be elected governor of the People’s Republic of Massachusetts. After all, they gave Teddy Boy and Jean Francois Kerry lifetime seats in the Senate.
I know Reagan was elected governor of liberal California, but that was over 40 years ago. A true conservative would never, ever be elected governor of California today.
There was a time I did admire Senator Orrin Hatch-he seemed to be a straight shooter and true patriot. If he was just one clever political hack or the power and pomp of the Beltway corrupted him I do not know. But we have seen it time and again.
We have seen the likes of that before. The “mandatory” part will resurface one way or another despite what the CongressCritters say. The parasites of the Federal Bureaucracy re write the rules as they go along.
Actually we do have term limits-two and six years IF the voters would get off their dead butts and vote out the scoundrels.
“Go home to Utah, Orrin, you old RINO, sit on the porch and watch the sun set.” Yes indeed although I would think he prefers Massachusetts by now.He could Room with Romney at House RINO! (take McCain with you)
Who is writing these bills??? it certainly isn’t these congress critters…
Brewster is one of my Mayflower ancestors! We might be related….
Which one have you traced back to? My family has been tracing genealogies since I was really little, so it’s an ongoing interest of mine (kind of like being a fan of the Red Sox – I was born into it)
Not sure what you’re referring to; the Mass Supreme Court handed down that decision before Romney became governor. And while he was governor, he was the one who took the gutless wonders on Beacon Hill to court to force them to vote on the referendum petition that voters in Massachusetts had signed – and for which those voters ended up having their names, addresses and phone numbers published by the pro-gay-marriage proponents (but that wasn’t an attempt at intimidation /sarc.). Within the parameters of the state’s constitution, he did what he could to force the legislature to do their jobs.
As to whether he is a true conservative or not, if he had changed his views from being anti-abortion to pro, the left would have lauded him for his evolving point of view. Instead, they excoriate him, and those on the right view him with suspicion.
I for one take him at his word, that in the fact finding sessions he had with the experts on embryonic stem-cell research, he came to the conclusion that not only was that type of research unethical, but that abortion itself was also unethical.
How may of us have likewise changed our opinions because of new information on the subject? I know I did. Does that make me insincere in by pro-life beliefs? Am I not a true conservative? (point of reference: I wrote in Reagan on the 1980 presidential ballot, who, by the way, also changed his stand on abortion).