2007.06.25: June 25, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - Dominican Republic: Politics: Congress: Election2008 - Dodd: National Service: Concrod Monitor: Democrats support for Dodd's plan to expand national service
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2007.06.25: June 25, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - Dominican Republic: Politics: Congress: Election2008 - Dodd: National Service: Concrod Monitor: Democrats support for Dodd's plan to expand national service
- 2007.06.24: June 24, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - Dominican Republic: Politics: Congress: Election2008 - Dodd: National Service: Union Leader: Evoking JFK, Dodd introduces plan for national service Tuesday, June 26, 2007 - 1:13 pm [2]
- 2007.06.24: June 24, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - Dominican Republic: Politics: Congress: Election2008 - Dodd: National Service: NH Primary: In Nashua, Dodd issues a call to service Tuesday, June 26, 2007 - 1:11 pm [1]
- 2007.06.26: June 26, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - Dominican Republic: Politics: Congress: Election2008 - Dodd: Boston Globe: Dodd deserves a look Tuesday, June 26, 2007 - 1:11 pm [2]
Dodd issues call for National Service
Dodd's proposal would mandate community service as a requirement to graduate high school. It would double the size of the Peace Corps, increase the number of AmeriCorps members and create a new Rapid Response Reserve Corps to respond to emergencies in the U.S. It would create and expand programs for volunteerism from middle school students to senior citizens.In promoting the plan, Dodd draws on his own experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in the 1960s. After graduating from college in 1966, he spent two years in the Dominican Republic, where he built a school and a maternity clinic in rural communities."Why did I do this?" Dodd said yesterday. "Because an American president asked me to. There was a time when we had leadership that invited us to be part of something good and exciting, something larger than ourselves."Dodd contrasted that time with the days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when Americans looked for ways to help."As long as I live, I'll never forget the answer the American president gave to what to do with that moment," Dodd said. "His answer was, 'Go shopping.' "Dodd said the spirit of volunteerism Americans showed after Hurricane Katrina and Sept. 11 makes the country unique."We have an appetite for service. We like to be asked to roll up our sleeves and make a contribution," he said. "We haven't been asked in a long time."
Dodd issues call for National Service
Dodd volunteers some ideas
Voters support plans more than candidate
By SHIRA SCHOENBERG
Monitor staff
June 25. 2007 8:00AM
Caption: Senator Chris Dodd delivering his speech, "Rekindling the Flame - A Call for A New American Patriotism" in Nashua, NH on June 23, 2007. Photo: Chris Dodd for President
Concord-area Democrats yesterday expressed enthusiastic support for U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd's plan to expand national service, even though many said they were not committed to the presidential candidate himself.
At a noontime brunch at Hermanos Cocina Mexicana in Concord, about 75 voters listened to and asked questions of the Democratic senator from Connecticut. The event was organized by the Democratic Network, a political forum for local Democrats that is not affiliated with the state party.
Dodd talked about his stance on Iraq and on energy policy, in addition to his plan for expanding national service, which he rolled out Saturday in Nashua. Although most voters said they were undecided over whom to vote for, many praised Dodd's national service plan, which he calls the "American Community Initiative."
"We've got to start asking young people to become involved, not to build their resume but to ask what they can do to serve their country," said Beverly Grenert, a retired educator and undecided voter from Contoocook. "During Kennedy, when I was young, we felt that concept of not what can government do for you but what are you going to do for government, for public interest."
Dodd's proposal would mandate community service as a requirement to graduate high school. It would double the size of the Peace Corps, increase the number of AmeriCorps members and create a new Rapid Response Reserve Corps to respond to emergencies in the U.S. It would create and expand programs for volunteerism from middle school students to senior citizens.
In promoting the plan, Dodd draws on his own experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in the 1960s. After graduating from college in 1966, he spent two years in the Dominican Republic, where he built a school and a maternity clinic in rural communities.
"Why did I do this?" Dodd said yesterday. "Because an American president asked me to. There was a time when we had leadership that invited us to be part of something good and exciting, something larger than ourselves."
Dodd contrasted that time with the days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when Americans looked for ways to help.
"As long as I live, I'll never forget the answer the American president gave to what to do with that moment," Dodd said. "His answer was, 'Go shopping.' "
Dodd said the spirit of volunteerism Americans showed after Hurricane Katrina and Sept. 11 makes the country unique.
"We have an appetite for service. We like to be asked to roll up our sleeves and make a contribution," he said. "We haven't been asked in a long time."
The crowd yesterday applauded Dodd's advocacy of national service, and many said they agreed with his plans.
Alex Parrish-Ealliere, a student at Bow High School, said while his school already mandates 20 hours of community service, "a hundred hours would really get kids involved in their community."
Alison Wimmer of Henniker, who calls herself a progressive left-wing Democrat, said she would like to see a mandatory service program for children like her son, who did not do well in high school.
"He could learn skills for the rest of his life and improve the country," she said.
Beyond the requirement for high school students, most of Dodd's plan is not mandatory but would use incentives to encourage service.
Several Democratic activists and politicians turned out for the event. Concord Rep. Steve Shurtleff said he has not yet declared his support. He said he served in the military during the Vietnam War, an experience that helped him mature.
"If young people do a domestic Peace Corps, just giving something back, it's a win-win situation," he said.
Katrina Swett, who is running for U.S. Senate in 2008 and said she will not endorse a presidential candidate, attended, along with her father, U.S. Rep. Tom Lantos, a California Democrat. Lantos, a Holocaust survivor who served with Dodd in Congress and has been active in human rights causes, said he respected both Dodd's history of public service and the accomplishments of Dodd's father, a lead prosecutor in the Nuremberg Trials, the Nazi war crime tribunals.
"They have served the country magnificently," Lantos said.
Most voters held back on casting their lot with Dodd, saying they were still undecided.
Vince Ribas of Franklin said Dodd is not on his "short list."
"Most Democratic candidates would represent me well, so I'm looking for someone who could get elected," he said. "It's not that I don't like what Dodd has to say. I have problems with a sitting senator."
Tim Dupre, executive director and AmeriCorps director of Volunteer NH!, a Concord-based organization, said he is not committed to a candidate and interested in Dodd's ideas. He called Dodd's plan to increase AmeriCorps volunteers from 70,000 to 1 million "ambitious."
If Dodd can do it, "It will grow a country of engaged, smart, ambitious citizens," he said. "It can only make our community better."
------ End of article
By SHIRA SCHOENBERG
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When this story was posted in June 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:
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Story Source: Concord Monitor
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Figures; COS - Dominican Republic; Politics; Congress; Election2008 - Dodd; National Service
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By Former Volunteer (134.241.126.59) on Saturday, July 28, 2007 - 12:17 pm: Edit Post |
He is wrong for America. If he has not stuck up for his former colleagues, 2,700 victims of violence in service to Peace Corps, how will he stick up for your family? He won't and that is why you should send a message to him in NH to end his bid for the Presidency. former volunteer