by Mark Silva
There was a lot of glory to go around today, in the president's signing of a bill tripling the federal government's commitment to the support of volunteerism.
For President Barack Obama, who signed the $1.1 billion appropriation that he sought in his address to a joint session of Congress earlier this year.
For former President Bill Clinton, who initiated AmeriCorps as a campaign promise some 16 years ago. For the ailing Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), for whom the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act is named -- and for a bipartisan coalition of members of Congress who passed the bill signed at a school in Washington today with Clinton and Kennedy in attendance.
"This signing is particularly important to me,'' Clinton said today. " In 1992, I campaigned on establishing a national service program. In 1993, I signed legislation that created AmeriCorps - with the same pen President Kennedy used to create the Peace Corps - and I've been proud of the more than 500,000 young people who have served and pleased that the third class will graduate from the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas this weekend.''
Clinton cited what others have, with this legislation, a resurgence of volunteerism in America, which this act, in turn, will foster. The chairman of the federal agency that oversees AmeriCorps and other service programs, today called it "the Obama effect.''
":Over the last year in America, we have seen a remarkable resurgence of public spirit by young people in their involvement in presidential campaigns, in voting in record numbers, and also in service activities on their campuses, their communities, and all across the globe,'' Clinton said. "My Clinton Global Initiative held its second meeting of CGI U this winter, and more than 1,000 young people attended from across America and more than 50 other countries to discuss pressing global problems and take concrete action.
President and Mrs. Obama have been inspiring advocates for youth service. Senator Kennedy was present at the creation of AmeriCorps and he has been a leading supporter. They and the rest of the supporters have given young people a great opportunity to make a real difference.
Statement of Former President Bill Clinton on the Signing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act
I congratulate President Obama and Senator Kennedy on the signing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. It will triple the size of AmeriCorps over the next eight years, putting more young Americans on the course to a lifetime of service at a time when our country needs their innovation and passion to solve the challenges we face. The legislation also increases opportunities for older Americans to serve.
This signing is particularly important to me. In 1992, I campaigned on establishing a national service program. In 1993, I signed legislation that created AmeriCorps - with the same pen President Kennedy used to create the Peace Corps - and I've been proud of the more than 500,000 young people who have served and pleased that the third class will graduate from the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas this weekend.
Over the last year in America, we have seen a remarkable resurgence of public spirit by young people in their involvement in presidential campaigns, in voting in record numbers, and also in service activities on their campuses, their communities, and all across the globe. My Clinton Global Initiative held its second meeting of CGI U this winter, and more than 1,000 young people attended from across America and more than 50 other countries to discuss pressing global problems and take concrete action.
President and Mrs. Obama have been inspiring advocates for youth service. Senator Kennedy was present at the creation of AmeriCorps and he has been a leading supporter. They and the rest of the supporters have given young people a great opportunity to make a real difference''
Comments
Hey! This isn't fair!
Ex-Republican Presidents are big on voluteerism too! In fact Bush Jr is currently looking for volunteer millionaire donors to help build his useless library!
Posted by: WingnutHunter | April 21, 2009 5:33 PM
This was especially difficult for Bil considering hos feud with Ted Kennedy over his Obama endorsement in the primary. Never though he'd get over that...
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | April 21, 2009 6:41 PM
Saw a clip of BO using a pick ax digging a hole. Can tell you one thing, he has never swung one in his life before. Combined with Michelle's shoveling in the garden, they better have a good chiropractor
Posted by: Terry | April 21, 2009 9:01 PM
Hey Terry remember that picture of your hero Bush at a G-8 Greenhouse summit? Its very clear he has no idea how the heck to hold a shovel either! Give it a rest already!
Heres the link since you conveniently forgot:
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/07/bush_nixes_greenhouse_gas_regu.html
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | April 21, 2009 9:52 PM
Saw a clip of BO using a pick ax digging a hole
Posted by: Terry | April 21, 2009 9:01 PM
.
Turdy,
Saw a clip of you and the other deadender meatheads out teabagging last week. It's very clear that you have a lot of experience doing that.
Posted by: you | April 21, 2009 10:48 PM
Scottie,
There is a difference from a cerimonial shovel and what BO was attempting to do.
Welcome back from a long weekend of teabagging.
Posted by: Terry | April 21, 2009 11:05 PM
The Bush history revision campaign is taking on lots of water this week.
Selling "We did not torture" is becoming a very tough slog.
I wonder if Bush's library will have an "advanced interrogation" room to put a happy face spin on his crimes?
Posted by: Zep Leddlin | April 22, 2009 12:38 AM
re: Obama signs national service legislation
I have written to many folks, including most of those mentioned in today’s volunteer legislation articles, concerning a basic community based solution to both harness the renewed volunteerism and our home-foreclosure problem. Most nonprofits cannot hold assets however, a 509(a)1 can, and if it is also mission driven around housing, which means it can hold both the house asset and the mortgage paper, against houses.
This makes it a quasi-bank; it can hold the house going into foreclosure, “modify” the loan around the current owner’s ability to make monthly payments. The reduced dollar amount on the first mortgage would be held as a “soft” second mortgage, to be repaid through volunteerism (e.g. for every hour worked/volunteered, would reduce the second mortgage by $20).
There is only one organization which I am familiar with, that fits this bill, the Affordable Housing Center (AHC), 509(a)1; it has the potential to be the hub for HUD foreclosures and the vehicle for (a broader) volunteer coordination.
Duplicate postings of my response will be made to other articles, in hopes to begin a larger discussion.
By the way, I submitted AHC to Google’s project 100, the one for great ideas to change the world; perhaps the cyber world can create an online demand to sway voting, via Google inquiry/search.
PS (Some of you smart, network savvy and compassionate people must recognize the potential here and use your skills to promote.)
Posted by: William Blake | April 22, 2009 1:02 AM
There is a difference from a cerimonial shovel and what BO was attempting to do.
Welcome back from a long weekend of teabagging.
Posted by: Terry | April 21, 2009 11:05 PM
Right. Whatever you want to believe
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | April 22, 2009 8:17 PM
Scottie,
The word of a former union laborer as compared to the person who doesn't know which end of a shovel to use.
You make the call.
Hope the long weekend in Vermont was nice.
Posted by: Terry | April 22, 2009 9:50 PM
Oh and P.S. Terry, you might want to try Teabagging yourself you might enjoy it better than finding fault in a President who has to clean up the despicable mess your Bush left him!
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | April 22, 2009 10:12 PM
Scottie,
Which Bush policy caused this mess? Simple question, can you proviude an answer?
Posted by: Terry | April 23, 2009 6:51 AM
Which Bush policy caused this mess? Simple question, can you proviude an answer?
Posted by: Terry | April 23, 2009 6:51 AM
.
All of them....
Thanks for playing, Turdy.
Posted by: you | April 23, 2009 3:03 PM
Terry you and your losing party are in such denial and living with your heads in the sand it's no wonder you lost all the elections! Tell me, who created the largest deficit and government in the history of America??? You and your losing party are still looking through binoculars with the lens caps on just like your Bush was!
http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/mtarchive/000016.html
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | April 23, 2009 6:56 PM
Trickled-On You,
So the Kennedy back No Child Left Behind Act caused this mess. Teddy will screw things up.
Scottie,
Do you want to bail out Trickled-On?
Posted by: Terry | April 23, 2009 7:52 PM
You know Terry, you're nothing but reaching now which shows your desperation. This is about volunteerism not you and your parties deflated egos.
Taking a positive story you reply with un-related remarks that are moot and negative. This is your ammo consistently and frankly we -the majority of Americans - are so over it already. Grow up.
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | April 23, 2009 11:19 PM
Teabagger Terri,
You're not even making sense anymore. You need to step out of that wingnut echo chamber that you live in and get a fresh dose of reality every once in a while. To much Rush and Fixed News channel is bad for your sanity.
My work here is done...
This case is closed.
Posted by: you | April 23, 2009 11:39 PM
Scotty,
I started this post by saying the BO and his wife better learn to use tools properly or they will hurt their back. I was looking out for their health. You turned this into "But Bush did this too"
The largest deficit to date is President Bush - in four years in will be BO. BO's deficits of his four years will be larger the all of President Bush's over eight years.
Trickled On John E,
You stated ALL of Bush's policies have caused the recession. I gave you one of Bush's policies. And know you say I don't make sense. Just like a little boy, when he is losing, he takes his bat and ball goes home.
The two of you ought to get together and do some teabagging.
Posted by: Terry | April 24, 2009 6:15 PM
Terry do you really expect us to believe your true intentions were the health of the President and his wife? Both of which you loath? Right.You were making fun of them and I called you on it.
As for your "theory" that President Obama's deficit will be larger than Bush's, well like I said its a theory. Why dont we wait and see first before passing judgement. As for Bush's largest government and deficit in history THAT is no longer a "theory" but a fact.
I suggest you try teabagging it might help you out of your Right Wing Closet!
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | April 25, 2009 12:40 AM
Scotty,
We have President Bush's actual deficits for 8 years and we have BO's planned deficits for 8 years. We can't measure BO's actual defcits since he has not had time to implement his deficits. So the best we can do is measure his planned deficits. So get a calculator are start adding. BO's are larger by a landslide.
As far as teabagging, go play with John E. When playuing with John E do you play the role of Ennus or Jack?
Posted by: Terry | April 25, 2009 1:01 PM
We have President Bush's actual deficits for 8 years and we have BO's planned deficits for 8 years. We can't measure BO's actual defcits since he has not had time to implement his deficits. So the best we can do is measure his planned deficits. So get a calculator are start adding. BO's are larger by a landslide.
Posted by: Terry | April 25, 2009 1:01 PM
As far as projections, whose projections are you basing your opinion on? Time will tell and only until President Omaba's first and hopefully second terms are over will I, and the majority of American people, pass judgment.
Keep trying, its so over for you.
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | April 25, 2009 3:59 PM
They are BO's projections as calculated by the CBO. Even gave you link from PMSNBC so you might believe it. $9.3 Trillion over the next decade.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29791927/
The numbers are in and, as usual, you lose. Have Trickled On John E give you some econ and math lessons.
Posted by: Terry | April 26, 2009 5:10 PM
So by cutting the deficit in half as President Obama plans is just a hoax?
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | April 26, 2009 7:58 PM
Scotty,
I don't know if you truly dense or have just drank too much kool-aid.
Here are the deficit numbers from 1990 - 2008. You will see the deficit numbers under the Bush administration - nothing I am proud of as a conservative.
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Taxes/upload/federalspendingbythenumbers2008.pdf
The 2009 deficit is projected to be $1.7 Trillion.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/us/politics/27web-budget.html?_r=1&ref=business
When BO states that he is going to cut the deficit in half, he is using the $1.7 Trillion as a benchmark, not the "little numbers" from the 1990-2008 table. Although factually correct, he is really being dishonest in leading people to believe that he is a cost cutter.
Does this make sense now?
Posted by: Terry | April 26, 2009 9:35 PM
The following table is from BO's budget, not the objective CBO analysis. You will see that there will not be a deficit under $500 billion, which is larger than all of deficits except 2009.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/fy2010_new_era/Summary_Tables2.pdf
Posted by: Terry | April 26, 2009 9:42 PM
We will see Terry. Until then, I have faith that my new President will do better for America then the republicans have in the past 20 years!
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | April 27, 2009 8:09 AM