National Service Program
Most modern countries have a national service program when a citizen turns a certain age- many countries even make it mandatory. This is not just about reducing federal costs and filling much needed service positions. This is not just about reinvigorating our economic engine by returning stagnant pools of capital back into our system. This is not just about allowing our new generations a leg up to participate in our economy. This is not just a way to integrate disadvantaged youth and our overly-divergent classes together. This is not just about retaining young professionals in America who are moving overseas at a record rate due to political burdens, cost of living and healthcare. This is about allowing Americas’ youth a chance to pursue happiness.
- We think it is time to implement a voluntary one-year service option for all citizens turning 18 years of age.
-We could offer a very wide range of options to satisfy interests such as The Park Service, The Peace Corps, Wild-land Fire Control, Urban Restoration, Scientific Research, Wilderness Trail Crews, The Armed Services, Apprenticeships in Farming and Ranching and more..
- We could provide a substantial end-of -year service salary to be used towards education, housing, starting a small business, Inventions, or investment.
-We could prop up the social security system with such early investments in stocks or savings - while providing much needed services.
- We could fund this through federal fees and tolls on taxpayer-funded services and utilities in the marketplace, and through taxes on financial safe havens.
- We believe that, as in the Greatest Generation, a shared American experience results in a better understanding of differing cultural and economic divides - creating unity and a broader understanding of the world for those who will govern the country one day.
- We believe that through funding of young, out of the box ideas, we could create innovation which has many benefits including economic vitality.
-We believe that investment in small business will reinvigorate the middle class and rural communities.
- We believe this would help with the vast inequality of wealth in America and that wealth disparity can be reduced before it destabilizes our economy and country.
- We believe the younger generations are looking for a way forward economically, and with little upwards mobility, this is a reasonable way for their American ideal of the ‘pursuit of happiness’.
Economists have long held that economic growth is dictated by innovation. Steve Jobs was 21 when he started Apple. Alexander Bell was 25-20 and Tesla was 28. Edison was 25-30. Eli Whitney was 28…. It takes youthful curiosity, energy and an ability to think outside the box.. to innovate. The dollars stuck in an offshore account of a retired billionaire is not contributing much if anything to our economy. A dollar invested in a single mother with a curious mind and a great idea could be worth more than imaginable. It is time to give the seedlings of our economy a bit of water to help them through the cost of education, housing and startup businesses so that they can grow and strive for happiness.
They are the next generations of Americans and they deserve to have the hope of shelter, upward mobility , and the pursuit of happiness.
