1Declaration: Free Markets, Free People, Free Minds

Libertarian Presidential nominee Bob Barr offers fierce criticism to Barack Obama's forced public service proposal. I for one could not agree more.

'Americans are among the most generous people on the planet and excel at serving one another,' says Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party presidential candidate. 'Unfortunately, Sen. Barack Obama wants to turn service into a government requirement' by forcing middle, high school, and college students to work in federally approved jobs. 'But service must be an outgrowth of the heart to be life-changing for both parties. It isn’t possible to mandate generosity or coerce compassion,' Barr explains.

Public service is not strictly a formal function that can be done by only serving state or federal government. Service is about helping your fellow man and clearly Americans have done just that. Americans in the past year donated over $300 billion to help with numerous causes from international to domestic aid. Service does not end with monetary donations with millions of man hours each year put into volunteer organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, countless numbers of soup kitchens, and numerous religious organizations. Need I remind you of thousands of Americans helping those devastated by Hurricane Katrina and Rita including myself.

This country faces numerous other problems that cannot be fixed by forced governmental service. A Social Security system being bankrupted, out of control government spending, unconstitutional power grabs from the states, dwindling civil liberties, and welfare programs that hinder the poor from bringing themselves out of poverty. Not to mention a flawed income tax system that keeps the corrupt in power, puts American products at a disadvantage in the global market place, penalizes hard work and saving, encourages debt spending, and gives special interests a special voice that needs to be completely replaced with the Fair Tax.

Other problems are just as serious including a declining US dollar, high energy costs because of governmental regulation, declining public education at the hands of the teachers union, the NEA, and bloated, unconstitutional Department of Education, and the federal governments general disregard for the Constitution. The list can go on and on. Forced governmental service will be another governmental power grab that strips individual choice and Liberties. "'Washington politicians should not be telling schools across America how many hours their students should work, and in what kinds of jobs,' says Barr. 'The Founders displayed great genius when the framed the Constitution, because they limited the federal government to national problems while preserving state and local authority over such issues as education, including youth service.'"

Barr concludes:

Everyone agrees that service is a wonderful gift from those with much to those with little. But we should not sacrifice the great value of voluntary service by turning it into a government requirement.

The desire to serve others cannot be forced. It must come from the heart and soul of an individual. Compulsory service will only breed contempt and distrust for the government that mandates it. Americans are the most generous and service minded people in the world. A government mandate requiring service is an insult to those that have freely and willingly dedicated their life, time, or money in service of their fellow man or woman.

To read the rest of the article check out Barr's Blog: Bob Barr 2008 Blog » Blog Archive » Barr criticizes Obama’s national service proposal