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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
Evoking JFK, Dodd introduces plan for national service
Standing several feet from the Kennedy Memorial in front of Nashua City Hall, Dodd cited Kennedy's inaugural address as the inspiration behind his decision to join the Peace Corps and introduced what he calls the American Community Initiative. "Seated in the East Front of the Capitol that day with my family, I listened as this new President in the bright winter cold called to action a new generation in service of our national cause," Dodd, son of the late Sen. Thomas Dodd, said. "Like thousands of others, I heard President Kennedy's words and a short time later joined the Peace Corps, where I served for two years in the rural hills and villages of the Dominican Republic."
Evoking JFK, Dodd introduces plan for national service
Evoking JFK, Dodd introduces plan for national service
By SON HOANG
New Hampshire Union Leader Correspondent
Sunday, Jun. 24, 2007
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
Nashua – Evoking John F. Kennedy at the site where JFK launched his 1960 presidential campaign, Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd, himself a Democratic candidate for President, yesterday unveiled his own plan for national service.
Standing several feet from the Kennedy Memorial in front of Nashua City Hall, Dodd cited Kennedy's inaugural address as the inspiration behind his decision to join the Peace Corps and introduced what he calls the American Community Initiative.
"Seated in the East Front of the Capitol that day with my family, I listened as this new President in the bright winter cold called to action a new generation in service of our national cause," Dodd, son of the late Sen. Thomas Dodd, said. "Like thousands of others, I heard President Kennedy's words and a short time later joined the Peace Corps, where I served for two years in the rural hills and villages of the Dominican Republic."
Dodd's plan calls for 100 hours of mandated school-based service as a requirement for high school graduation "to instill a lifelong sense of civic responsibility in our young people and strengthen the American community."
Service could include tutoring younger students, visiting residents of veterans' hospitals and hospices, and cleaning up neighborhoods.
"In a 21st century world of abundant choices, young people will have unprecedented opportunities to serve, give and learn," Dodd said.
The initiative also seeks to increase the number of AmeriCorps members to 1 million and create a "rapid-response reserve corps" that would mobilize service-corps alumni and retired military personnel to respond to national disasters, said Dodd, a former National Guardsman and Army Reserve.
The Peace Corps would double in size by 2011 and double again by 2050 under the initiative, Dodd said.
"The Peace Corps offers a remarkable opportunity to send a strong message to the world that the American people stand ready to turn back disease and poverty, not only with our checkbooks but also with the seat and heart of a very good and decent people," he said.
America's international relations would be strengthened by sending Americans abroad to do humanitarian work, Dodd said, adding, "You cannot hate America if you know Americans."
The overall cost of the initiative, which would be done in phases, would be somewhere near $10 billion, Dodd said, acknowledging the lofty cost but claiming the benefits would exceed the expense.
Dodd also used his address to criticize President George W. Bush for failing to inspire Americans to unite and help each other in the aftermath of September 11.
"Instead of calling on America -- instead of asking all of us to step up, sacrifice and rise to the occasion -- our President asked us, advised us, to go shopping," Dodd said.
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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: Union Leader
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