I do want to comment of one aspect of his Economic Recovery Plan. From the Liberal side, some of the critics are up in arms that there’s no National Service Program [CCC, WPA, etc.] like F.D.R. had. I’m not too worried about that. That would take time to set up and would cost a mint like it did last time [1930’s]. We could do that later if we need it. I do have a suggestion that I call the 1boringoldman Plan.
We are involved in two big wars, one of which is a complete waste of time and money. In the process of Bush’s pugilism period, our National Guard has been depleted and abused. My proposal is to use our armed forces as a National Service Program. We have a National Guard and Army that is trained, equipped, and disciplined. Those kids need jobs, as do many others. The 1boringoldman Plan involves using our wartime machine just like we used the CCC and WPA for domestic projects. It’s already equipped and structured. It would allow our returning soldiers to have work, and play an important part in rebuilding America. It would make the National Service Program heroic and give our military young something to be proud of after their heroic but largely wasted efforts in Iraq. And in the process, it would allow us to reconstitute the National Guard that Bush decimated by cannibalizing it to fight his absolutely stupid war. It’s a win-win idea. Why bring soldiers home to dump onto a collapsing job market. Why not give them the chance to come home and work for the country in a new way, using their training and discipline effectively instead of walking the streets looking for any work they can find, feeling forgotten.
It is a realy great idea, Michey. Does your blog reach anyone in D.C.? Or the Obama camp?
I did some work (and will be doing a lot more in ’09) with soldiers assigned to a “Warrior Transition Battalion” at Ft. Riley, KS in October. The CO tells me that his command is one of about a dozen across the country, some of them much larger than the 450 men and women assigned at Riley.
The soldiers’ mission upon assignment to this battalion is to get well…it’s their primary Army job – quite different from the Army jobs they had previously. Most of them are transitioning out of the service and one has to recognize the potential validity of the 1boringoldman plan for this population.
Let’s start a movement.
Carl