Have Faith in the People (Dick Armey attacks Americorps)

[northzax]

in USAToday 6/8/2003

Have faith in the people
By Dick Armey
When AmeriCorps was created in 1993, it was, at its core, a program rooted in the un-American idea that the people of this country have to be enticed into community service with monetary incentive. AmeriCorps displaces private charity with government-managed, well-paid social activism based on the elitist assumption that community service is not already taking place.


Read on...if you can stomach it
>>>>>>>>>>>>

So Dick, what you're saying is that Americans will do their duty for free, because they should, right? so why, exactly, do we need to pay people in the Army? isn't it the duty of Americans to help defend the country? they should be proud to do it for free! we apparently waste BILLIONS paying soldiers, sailors, spies, mechanics, diplomats, congressfolk and their staffs, pensions for former congressfolk serving as lobbyists(cough cough) even the janitors in the white house. all these people should be doing it for free, it's their duty.

idiot. obviously people weren't meeting those needs every day, or the program wouldn't be so fucking popular.

[deutsey]

1. I thought machines were more reliable than people?

Isn't that was James Baker said about why he opposed handcounting ballots during the 2000 recount in Florida?

[Old and In the Way]

2. They hate it because it is a Democratic program.

They fear programs like this will breed more Democrats. Anything connected with Democratic initiatives must be destroyed so only their programs of corporate welfare breeding lots of money to elect Republican politicians will survive.

[Classical_Liberal]

3. My sister is paying off college with Americorps

Paying back her country! I suppose killing Iraqies is the only acceptable way to do that. Many rural areas wouldn't have doctors if it weren't for Americacorps, but what in the hell, rural people like being shat on by republicans.

[dfong63]

4. good idea, dick

... so when are you going to give up your government pension and free lifetime health care? it was obviously an unneeded incentive for you to serve in congress. and since we're running a deficit, the government reaaally needs that money for more urgent things.

[cap]

5. my little hometown went through doing it for free..

in the 1920's they decided they wanted a teacher's college. Petitioned the state numerous times to no avail. Then they went and decided to do it themselves. The guys got together and in their spare time dug out the foundations of the college and raised the buildings. They soon became believers in government social services.

I suggest Dick Armey go out and dig out a few foundations and then decide.

[ninedwarfs]

6. Test

Test

[goddess40]

7. Americorps

Sounds like Armey wants only the rich to take part in Americorp. Who else could afford to put in the signicant number of hours and days that is required to take part in Americorp? Perhaps Dicky doesn't realize most of us need a paying jobs to support ourselves.

[northzax]

8. duh

that's what the tax cut is for, silly. I mean you're saving like 10,000 a year, right?