I think some sort of required national service is an interesting idea. There would be lots of screaming and hollering about it, of course, probably because we as citizens have been asked to do ZERO, other than pay taxes, since the draft ended in the 1970s.
>Ah, the power of the media! :o) Let's all join the peace corps! :o) (Not a bad idea actually)
>
>
>>Polls? No. I have seen quotes from several people, specifically identified, in the news expressing this desire. How many are there? I don't know. Maybe there are only six of them!
>>
>>>Do you have any polls to substantiate this?
>>>
>>>
a good number of Americans, especially younger ones, say he has interested them in national service or foreign service>>>
>>>I know his primary base of support is young voters, but not that he has inspired large numbers to join national service (what type?) or foreign service... I haven't read that any where or heard it on the news (and I've watched a lot of political pundits and so called 'experts' debate lately) so I don't know where the support for that is from.
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>>>>>>Ditto.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The current leftists have little ideologically common values with Kennedy or Truman. Roosevelt, maybe a little.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121132806884008847.html>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>yup, Obama has Kennedy's charm and charisma... that's where the similarities ends.
>>>>>
>>>>>If you read that fabulous Kennedy's inaugural speech to a typical high school student, he'd probably think it was a speech given by a Republican.
>>>>
>>>>Well, apart maybe from that little part about asking what you can do for your country. Aren't the Republicans basically about asking what you can do for yourself?
>>>>
>>>>We don't really know yet how similar Obama is to Kennedy, and won't unless and until he is elected. Then we'll find out. Right now it's all just talk (by everyone). One thing that is a bit different about him, and appropriate to bring up given your mention of JFK's inaugural address, is that a good number of Americans, especially younger ones, say he has interested them in national service or foreign service. That impulse has been dormant in this country for at least 30 years. It's been a while since we had a Presidential candidate who inspired people like this. You would have to go back to Reagan's first term to find something similar.
