The House passed legislation to create Obama’s promised civilian service force, ostensibly to vastly expand “volunteerism” in the U.S., via H.R. 1388. The mess passed 320-105, so you can thank BOTH sides of the aisle for the new Obama army. Bet you didn’t hear much about it last night, did you! AIG! AIG! Smokescreen!

The bill is now headed to the Senate. YOU KNOW THE DRILL. Make your voice heard to your senators now!

The “Gift Act” as it is called, creates several NEW corps of “volunteers” in addition to vastly expanding Americorps. I’m sure these “volunteers” will be counted in Obama’s “save or create 3.5 million jobs” tally. Critics have warned that passage of the legislation is a backdoor way to require mandatory service under the guise of “volunteerism.” It will require individuals, both males and females, to give 3 years of “service”. George Soros is doing the happy dance.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates this one’s gonna cost $6 BILLION or so. These “volunteers” will be paid, and where and how they will volunteer is determined by the government. Health care advocacy, environmental advocacy, educational advocacy, energy audits…there will be lots of opportunities modeled after ACORN/Hitler Youth/Saul Alinsky’s playbook.

It’s no accident that Obama’s civilian service “opportunities” come at the same time Barry wants to limit your charitable donation deductions. By making donations only partially deductible, Obama will clearly reduce the amount of money available to private charities in the United States. Why would he want to do this? Why would anyone want to do this?

If you give away your money, then you get credit for it. Whereas, if government taxes your money from you and gives it away, then politicians can take credit for it. You can see what a painful dilemma private charity is for any hardcore career politician. Every day, people give away millions of dollars that goes to build hospitals, provide clean water, feed the hungry, clothe the homeless, cure diseases, and not a single vote is bought by any of it.

In addition, every dollar selfishly given away to charities not only reduces the coveted revenue of the federal government, but even worse, it reduces the very need for big government itself. An addict saved by private dollars might haul off and vote for anyone in the next election. A child educated by a private scholarship will not be eternally indebted to the idea of federal grants.

Whether you are young or old, or firmly believe that volunteering means you are offering your time to the good of community work, you will be pressed into Obama’s National Civilian Community Corps. Just in case you don’t want to wear the uniform and think the Corps means everybody but you, these are the citizen groups H.R. 1388 proposes to cover: Our Nation’s retiring professionals. Members of the Baby Boom generation. The National Civilian Community Corps is year-round for all kids, even at summer camp. Private schools will not be immune from its membership. It basically covers everyone.

According to H.R. 1388, “the Director determines appropriate “Uniforms”. On March 9, committees knowing full well the chill that comes with the word “camp” changed all of their documents to read “campus”.

From Library of Congress

(d) [Struck out->][ Camps ][<-Struck out] CAMPUSES-
[Struck out->][ (1) UNITS TO BE ASSIGNED TO CAMPS- ][<-Struck out]
(1) UNITS TO BE ASSIGNED TO CAMPUSES- The units of the Corps shall be grouped together as appropriate [Struck out->][ in camps ][<-Struck out] in campuses for operational, support, and boarding purposes. The Corps [Struck out->][ camp ][<-Struck out] campus for a unit shall be in a facility or central location established as the operational headquarters and boarding place for the unit. Corps members may be housed [Struck out->][ in the camps ][<-Struck out] in the campuses.
[Struck out->][ (2) CAMP SUPERINTENDENT- There shall be a superintendent for each camp. The superintendent is the head of the camp. ][<-Struck out]
(2) CAMPUS DIRECTOR- There shall be a campus director for each campus. The campus director is the head of the campus.
[Struck out->][ (3) ELIGIBLE SITE FOR CAMP- A camp may be located ][<-Struck out]
(3) ELIGIBLE SITE FOR CAMPUS- A campus must be cost-effective and may, upon the completion of a feasibility study, be located in a facility referred to in section 162(a)(3).
[Struck out->][ (e) Distribution of Units and Camps ][<-Struck out]
(e) DISTRIBUTION OF UNITS AND CAMPUSES- The Director shall ensure that the Corps units and [Struck out->][ camps are distributed ][<-Struck out] campuses are cost-effective and are distributed in urban areas and [Struck out->][ rural areas in various regions throughout the United States. ][<-Struck out] rural areas such that each Corps unit in a region can be easily deployed for disaster and emergency response to such region.

AND, Obama’s targeting the deductibility of charitable donations, because private charities are a direct threat to the monopoly of power that our current government aspires to. Private giving buys no elections, it rewards no cronies, it builds no bridges to nowhere, it enlarges no union, it builds no single social or political orthodoxy and it fosters independence for the needy.

Obama and the left know how to spend your money better than you, even when your spending is not about you. And if your charity takes the form of service instead of money, well, there’s the Orwellian “Gift Act.” Obama knows how to spend your time better than you do, as well.

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