A More Perfect Constitution by Larry J. Sabato

Author:Larry J. Sabato
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Published: 2010-02-25T16:00:00+00:00

*See Amy Belasco, “The Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Global War on Terror Operations Since 9/11,” Congressional Research Service (14 Mar. 2007): p. 3. Available online at http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdf.

As the reader can see, Americans have already spent, per citizen, almost six times as much on the Iraq War as on the most costly estimate of an annual one-year UNS program, and the Iraq War might end up costing as much as thirty times more per American than a UNS program.61 And while Americans may receive benefits down the road from a democratized Middle East (and it remains a big “if ”), national service has a proven, positive cost-benefit ratio. The contrast is stark between expenditures for Iraq, and a UNS program that could generate $120 billion in economic benefits every year.

Additionally, these simple economic models cannot capture the most potent benefits derived from UNS: an entire generation with a strong sense of civic engagement, an appreciation for service to others, a connection to one another across class, race, and economic lines, and a deeper respect for the privileges of American citizenship. These are not abstract concepts. Longitudinal studies of AmeriCorps participants reveal that even three years after leaving the program, participants are two and a half times more likely to volunteer in their local communities and substantially more likely to have jobs in public service.62 Universal National Service can generate lifelong volunteerism and community building—a bold step toward a brighter future for our politics and our civic culture.63

UNIVERSAL NATIONAL SERVICE AND AMERICA’S FUTURE

The idea of national service already seems to have a special and enduring attraction in the United States. Americans are drawn to volunteer service in larger numbers than residents of many other countries.64 Perhaps recognizing this, members of Congress from both houses and both parties have proposed various forms of national service with considerable frequency—though the concept has not yet received enough attention to spark a true national debate.65

Now, more than at any time since the 1960s, my college faculty colleagues and I sense a hunger among the young for constructive challenges. Conservatives and liberals alike in this marvelously energetic and idealistic age group want to create a happier, healthier, saner, safer country and world. They are awaiting an appeal to the better angels of their nature, and Universal National Service would be just such a clarion call. UNS could electrify the nation and give special purpose and meaning to a new Constitutional Convention. The idea of citizenship would be expanded to create a broader pact of rights and responsibilities that are mutually reinforcing.

Post-convention, once UNS had become part of the fabric of American society, it would be a force multiplier for civic activity. Force multiplier is a military term, defined by the Defense Department as “a capability that, when added to and employed by a combat force, significantly increases the combat potential of that force and thus enhances the probability of [a] successful mission.” UNS would qualify as a force multiplier because participants in service programs have been shown to be particularly effective at recruiting many additional people for community work.

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