Get Ready to Say "Yes!" to National Service.

Congress is at it yet again. If there is a way for them to involve the government in our private lives, they'll find it. This time it's through H.R. 1444, the "Congressional Commission on Civic Service Act". This bill was introduced by Democratic congressman Jim McDermott (WA), and is working it's way through the House Committee on Education and Labor. It was sponsored by McDermott, Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD), and James Moran (D-VA). If any of these are your congressmen, they should be spanked and sent to bed with no supper.

The whole idea for this commission came from President Obama. He spoke openly about it in the campaign. Now, admittedly, this is only authorizing the establishment of a commission. But it has the backing of Obama and the Democrats in Congress, so it may be on a slippery slope to becoming a reality. The commissions powers are limited to gathering and analyzing information and making recommendations to congress. This is where things get a little ugly.

The bill requires the commission to report on several specific things, most dealing with problems that currently exist in volunteerism. But, there are three of these specifics that caught my eye as I read the bill. The commission will report on:

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.

(9) The effectiveness of establishing a training program on college campuses to recruit and educate college students for national service.

Do you think that the commission, authorized by a Democrat controlled Congress, is going to come back and say that "mandatory national service" is a bad thing? Neither do I. And I'm not sure what they plan to do with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. You know, the one that prohibits involuntary servitude. Yeah, I believe that would apply to the U.S. government too. But at any rate, Congress is preparing to tell us what we have to do in our spare time. You don't have any spare time? Uncle Sam says, uh, yes you do. Or you better find some.

I was watching protesters a few weeks ago as another state legislature was debating same sex marriage. One of the women was holding a sign that said, "Keep the government out of my bedroom!" She probably has no problem with them telling her what kind of car to drive, or how much of her paycheck she can actually take home with her. Nor does she care that her nieces and nephews are being burdened with so much debt that their standard of living will be less than their parents. Now they are preparing to tell her what she has to to fullfil some "national service" requirement. Stay out of my bedroom?

How about, "Stay outta my yard!"