Join the 'US Public Service Academy'

United States
August 26, 2009 6:47pm CST
Proposed back in March 23, 2007, the PSA Act, sponsored by Senator Hillary Clinton and Arlen Spector [R-PA] Rahm Emmanuel and 23 other senators co-sponsored it "Modeled on the military service academies, the Public Service Academy will provide a rigorous undergraduate education followed by five years of civilian service to the country. It will develop young leaders with the character, intellect, and experience necessary to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Join us as we build our generation’s defining public institution. This legislation will create the US Public Service Academy to groom future public servants and build a corps of well-trained, highly-qualified capable civilian leaders. Modeled after the military service academies, this academy will provide a four-year, federally-subsidized college education for more than 5,000 students a year in exchange for a five year commitment to public service." --Once admitted, students would earn credits toward a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Students would be required to choose a public service concentration in the field in which they ultimately will serve post-graduation. --Graduates would be required to serve the United States for five years in the public sector. Failure to complete five years of service would result in a dishonorable discharge from the Academy. Delinquent graduates would be required to repay the Academy for the cost of their education. * The Academy would subsidize its students’ graduate education in return for an extended service commitment. For every year of subsidized graduate education, students must add two additional years to their service commitment. --All USPSA students would be required to spend a period of time studying abroad. --Students would be required to take courses in foreign languages and intern. relations. --Students would spend eight weeks each summer participating in structured learning programs, such as emergency response training, civilian internship in the armed forces, and an internship with a public agency. "Good Intentions, Bad Idea," by David Van Slyke and Alasdair Roberts http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0807/082707ol.htm, the proposed academy would be redundant to the missions of the 150 undergraduate and graduate public affairs programs already in existence, whose breadth and diversity could never be matched by a single institution
3 responses
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
27 Aug 09
I want to be sarcastic but I just can't bring myself to. Like the article says...good intentions, bad idea? I just can't help but feel this is the beginning of Obama's indocrination of our youth. Public colleges are already teaching a far left curriculum. Now that the government is in charge of these kids education....it can only be worse. I know there are those who think this is wonderful and will reap much good results. It does sound wonderful. I can't really put my finger on why it bothers me. But it does.
• United States
27 Aug 09
Rahm Emmanuel's "A New Agenda for the New Decade": Build a Public Consensus Supporting US Global Leadership A strong, technologically superior defenseis the foundation for US global leadership..The US must speed up the “revolution in military affairs” that uses our technological advantage to project force in many different contingencies involving uncertain and rapidly changing security threats -- including terrorism and information warfare. [About Rahm] "He was very aggressive," remembers David Wilhelm, then Robinson's field director and now chairman of the DNC. "If somebody gave one hundred dollars, he would call them back and say, 'How about two hundred?'" (Mother Jones) He also cofounded a political consulting firm, The Research Group, which specialized in "opposition research"--digging up dirt on the client's opponent. "I am interested in Bill Clinton redefining the Democratic party," Rahm says, "whether you call it centrism or not--I call it progressivism." http://www.motherjones.com/politics/1993/11/motherjones-nd93-tough-guy-muzzled Young Progressive's Majority "Join the YPM Ambassador Program" http://healthcareforamericanow.org/site/action_center/ Help the Prez! http://healthcareforamericanow.org/site/action_center/ "Donate $10 or more to help us win quality, affordable health care for all and we'll send you this shiny lawn sign!" SIGN UP YOUR ORGANIZATION: More than 1,000 groups have already joined on, and we need your organization to win. Rahm is want's to turn this whole country into his own personal task force and he can do it at our own expense by bringing it to the convenience of our homes giving the 'new generation' the feeling of standing for something. I don't know why their asking for all these donations when their robbing us right under our noses!
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
27 Aug 09
I hate to be accused of comparing this to YOU KNOW WHO in the second world war...but the similarity is chilling.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
27 Aug 09
They are right, the good parts of this "plan" are already available, that just leaves the ominous parts. Only a totalitarian loving idiot would back the idea of the government "training" the next generation of public servants. I guess Hillary Spectre and ol' Rahm are scared someone might think differently than themselves.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
27 Aug 09
The world is frightened. The world wants a savior and security. The trouble is...that also means they will be fenced in, controled and told what to do and think, to have that security. You don't get peace and safety without giving up freedoms. The powers that be...they know human nature very well....and they are manipulating us into their version of utopia. Trouble is...they are lying. There will be no peace, there will be no security. And they will be our masters. Yea...that's the ominuous parts.
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
27 Aug 09
Rather scary! They are just making their own military.. what's wrong with the one we have? Or are they intending to phase that one out for this new one.. so they have more control...
• United States
27 Aug 09
[b]Young Progressive Majority http://goypm.org/[/b] [b]Progressive Majority http://www.progressivemajority.org/[/b] [b]Progressive Academy Online http://www.youngpeoplefor.org/resources/pao[/b] "For over 30 years, ultraconservatives have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in young people and built an infrastructure that initiates young people into the radical right movement through campus activism, leadership training and career development. Their investments have paid off. If progressives want to achieve the same sort of political success that the radical right has enjoyed for the past two decades, we're going to have to do more than focus on the next round of elections and pay lip service to engaging young people. We must make a serious, long-term investment in our next generation of progressive leaders – now." [b]Center for Progressive Leadership aka "The Generational Alliance" http://www.progressiveleaders.org/[/b] CPL trains, mentors, and coaches high-potential leaders at every level of political involvement, including: * Organization Leaders * Future Candidates and Elected Officials * Campaign Professionals * Community Organizers and Grassroots Activists * Policy, Government and Media Leaders [b]World Union for Progressive Judaism http://wupj.org/Youth/NetzerOlami.asp[/b] Netzer Olami is the Zionist youth movement of Progressive Jews throughout the World. It is the youth movement of the World Union for Progressive Judaism and of ARZENU, the Zionist arm of the worldwide Reform movement. Young Democratic Socialists http://www.ydsusa.org HR676.org http://hr676.org/6.html