With all the focus and attention on the TARP, the so-called “stimulus” bill, the nationalization of huge chunks of our economy and the various issues economic – lost in the weeds have been a host of destructive “programs” being developed and passed by the Obama-Democrat machine.
Right now on the floor of the United States Senate is one of the most disturbing pieces of legislation I have seen in a long time. HR 1388, the “Serve America Act” is cloaked in feel-good rhetoric and supposedly noble goals, but it is nothing more than another Washington power-grab – this time targeted at non-profits and education – and ultimately at indoctrinating a whole new generation of Obamanistas into forsaking individual liberty and free will for the Statist worldview.
The bill is far too onerous to detail here – and given Republican support for it, it would seem somewhat futile. But, the legislation is far too destructive not to spend some time on, and one of the few remaining patriots in Washington – Jim DeMint (R-SC) – gave an excellent speech yesterday explaining the bill’s misguided approach and his opposition.
And here are just a few of the lowlights in the legislation:
1. The bill will substantially increase the size and reach of an existing federal government program;
2. The bill will burden taxpayers with more than 5 billion tax dollars at a time when we should be cutting back, not spending more;
3. The bill will steer funding and volunteers for public service away from churches, individuals, neighbors, and others who would like to lend a helping hand and toward organizations selected by bureaucrats;
4. The bill is full of vague language and has insufficient safeguards to prevent left-wing special interest groups from using tax dollars to advance their agenda in the name of “community service;”
5. The bill risks politicizing charity and community service by funneling funds and volunteers toward the preferred organizations picked by ideologues;
6. The first 25% of this bill is really education legislation, and should be in an education bill at the state level; and
7. The bill will compound the disincentives created by new limits on federal tax deductions for charitable giving, thereby decreasing the role of families, churches and other local organizations in their communities.
When you look at the details – one realizes that it’s far worse than even that… more along the lines of full-scale indoctrination camps toward Statism. The legislation will, in many circumstances, force our children to participate in charitable activity as part of school – and that activity may well be chosen by or approved by a bureaucrat. The bill causes a federally chartered, Washington-based institution to, essentially, pick priorities and winners and losers in the charitable universe – undoubtedly putting many charities at a significant disadvantage…
None of this even considers the lack of Constitutional basis for such a massive federal intervention into local charities and volunteerism… but when does that ever stop anyone in Washington? And when coupled with the soon-to-be-reduced lower tax deductions for charities, the Obama-Democrat machine is massively shifting the focus of charity from the individual to the State.
As usual, your typical group of unprincipled, spineless Republicans is supporting it – and it’s hard not to forecast swelling numbers given the total eclipse of fortitude among Senate Republicans and the lack of direction from their leadership. Already co-sponsoring the Senate companion (S.277) are Senators Gregg, McCain, Hatch, Cochran, Wicker (MS pork alert!!), and Snowe. And Senator Isakson waxed on about its virtues on the Senate Floor just yesterday… hardly surprising, unfortunately.
This is wrong-headed legislation and no Republican should support it. That a Senator is “well intended” is irrelevant and insulting. These people supposedly are grown-ups… entrusted with our nation’s financial well-being and bound by an oath to preserve and protect the Constitution. The “power of 41” the Wall Street Journal lauds in today’s editorial regarding card-check is hardly very powerful when it only manages to stop something that would empower union thugs through the patently offensive elimination of the right to have a secret ballot, but cannot stop a massive, pork-laden, non-stimulating “stimulus” bill and the take-over of American business… and now American charity… by the federal government.
Astounding. Disgusting, but Astounding.
Next93 Wednesday, March 25th at 10:53AM EDT (link)For the last eight years we’ve had to listen to the left tell us how the Bush administration’s efforts to gather intelligence on terrorists was putting us all one step away from concentration camps and secret trials.
Yet in less than two months in power, the Democrats have nationalized the banks, begun the process of nationalizing the auto, energy, and health care industries, begun work on “bailing out” (read “taking over”) the newspapers, crafted a legislative assults on dissent (”fairness doctrine”) and freedom of association (EFCA), and passed a clearly confiscatory and ex-post-facto law through the House. Now they’re clearly trying to shut down private charity, in order to cement the dependency of the poor on government largesse.
I’m starting to think that the Democrats need to either change thier name or start paying royalties to George Orwell’s estate.
Just one question: government “charities” spend about half of thier budgets on administration and overhead. Any private charity that managed that trick would be shut down by any
Apprentice GovernorAttorney General in the country. So what exactly is this bill supposed to accomplish?Constitutional limits on the powers of the federal government:
It’s not just the law, it’s a good idea!
Me and my child do volunteer work already.
phxg Wednesday, March 25th at 10:56AM EDT (link)By CHOICE.
Never should it be by force.
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. –Aristotle
Right, once it's by force, it's slavery.
Brian Hibbert Wednesday, March 25th at 11:03AM EDT (link)It’s the kind of thing the vast majority of the left seems not to understand. Using the power of the government to force people to do “good works” (as determined by a government policy) is an evil unto itself. The evil of forcing the action undoes whatever good deed it was intended to create.
Good deeds done by choice are an act of love.
Socialism doesn’t work. It looks nice on paper, but it’s been tried and it’s failed miserably every time (usually accompanied by widespread death and suffering).
Proud member of the V.R.W.C.
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johnt Wednesday, March 25th at 12:14PM EDT (link)don’t worry, the leftists get it only too well, Force is their own god.
Heads have to be knocked together for the good of the State and our own miserable lives. Besides, it makes liberals happy.
“a man’s admiration for absolute government is proportinate to the contempt he feels for those around him”. Tocqueville
And if the budgetary and forced volunteerism aren't bad enough,
Praying Wednesday, March 25th at 11:07AM EDT (link)House Amendment to H.R.1388 states “The amendments prohibits organizations from attempting to influence legislation; organize or engage in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes; and assist, promote, or deter union organizing.”
Does that mean no more Tea Parties?
If that doesn’t sound like a hijacking of your first amendment rights, you’re reading the wrong blog.
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This is the end of nonprofits
red4ever Wednesday, March 25th at 11:16AM EDT (link)On the surface it sounds good — hey, lots of volunteers because it will be required.
But, how many people will really care about the organization for which they are “volunteering?” That won’t promote the goals of the organization.
Goals that will only be pre-approved by some government bureaucrat that has no clue about non-profit work.
Many good organizations will end because they don’t fit some governmental agenda. Guess the meaning of “non-governmental organization” is confusing people again.
I hope to start my own nonprofit. If this passes, that dream is dead.
The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.
Dante
And we thought social democracy, European
johnt Wednesday, March 25th at 12:22PM EDT (link)style was their goal ! We didn’t raise, or lower, our sights enough.
Instead we should have looked further east, past the old Iron Curtain.
These mobsters have big plans for us.
“a man’s admiration for absolute government is proportinate to the contempt he feels for those around him”. Tocqueville
Of all the potentially destructive things that the Dem's have done in the last two years
USNJIMRET Wednesday, March 25th at 12:54PM EDT (link)because you can’t deny their “power” didn’t start until Jan 20 this year, this seems to me one of the MOST destructive.
And if EVER there needs to be a Republican Party of NO, this bill is it!
And I agree with johnt above, we have feared a State much more like Stalin then most of the Euro weenies.
Oh heck!!!
USNJIMRET Wednesday, March 25th at 12:58PM EDT (link)Of all the potentially destructive things that the Dem’s have done in the last two years, because you can’t really say their “power” didn’t start until Jan 20 this year, this seems to me one of the MOST destructive.
And if EVER there needs to be a Republican Party of NO, this bill is it!
And I agree with johnt above, we should have feared a State much more like Stalin then most of the other Euro weenies.
I sure screwed that post up!! (Please God, a preview option, please…..)
Call the Senate now...
ddstrain Wednesday, March 25th at 1:02PM EDT (link)As of yesterday morning I was the only caller to voice an opinion on HR 1388 (a/k/a The American Forced-Labor and Re-education Initiative) with the Virginia Senate delegation (Webb and Warner). At least that is what I was told.
This thing has been way under the radar screen.
Call your Senators now…
I was listening to Andrew Wilkow today
Leopard1996 Wednesday, March 25th at 1:19PM EDT (link)And he asked a great question, if I have to pay my taxes by force (which my tax burden will probably go up within the next few years), and I am forced to have my future children to perfome community service, how much money can I spend in taxes so I don’t have to care? This is bad legislation, and I can totally see where some of your more religious based charities are going to get shut down because of it.
“The accumluated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout, “Save Us!”….and I’ll look down and whisper, “No”…The Watchmen
This has been flying under the radar
Paul Seale Wednesday, March 25th at 1:37PM EDT (link)for a couple of weeks now.
I tried warning people about this a few weeks ago, but got little response.
The senate version is much more mundane than the house version which is unabashed communism.
Whether people will ever realize what is going on, I dont know.
Tammy Bruce Has Been Calling This "The Brown Shirt Act"
Swamp_Yankee Wednesday, March 25th at 3:22PM EDT (link)And it is. This is like Nazi Germany in the early thirties.
Not Dead Yet!
Mark Levin just highlighted this post
Erick Brockway Wednesday, March 25th at 5:28PM EDT (link)on his radio show. Hopefully enough people get the word to bring this to a halt.
Calling DC hacks now.
“No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong.”
~Winston Churchill
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Chip in to get rid of “Babs” (Yes ma’am) Boxer.
It's like the Star Trek Episode...
live4freedom Wednesday, March 25th at 5:33PM EDT (link)…where Kirk finds himself in an alternate universe where everyone on the Enterprise is evil. I feel like I woke up in an alternate universe where the people of the United States voted for an evil Marxist who was transforming the country into Orwell’s 1984.
Someone make it stop!
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