Comments on: Bush’s AmeriCorps Fraud http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/ Author James Bovard Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:10:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Political Class Dismissed » Blog Archive » Don’t always start out as compulsory… http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-119370 Political Class Dismissed » Blog Archive » Don’t always start out as compulsory… Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:49:01 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-119370 [...] trust this liar? He’s already back tracked on most of his campaign promises. On top of that Americorps is a waste of money. AmeriCorps has always been grossly mismanaged. It is like a religious miracle that is continually [...] [...] trust this liar? He’s already back tracked on most of his campaign promises. On top of that Americorps is a waste of money. AmeriCorps has always been grossly mismanaged. It is like a religious miracle that is continually [...]

]]> By: James Clark http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-118738 James Clark Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:58:19 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-118738 I just got done training and supervising a group of volunteers who helped nail shingles on a roof for a first time homeowner. My name is Jimbo Clark, and I am an AmeriCorps member serving with Knoxville Habitat for Humanity. Upon graduating from the University of Tennessee in May 2006, I knew that I wanted to serve my country, but I didn't want to kill people, help kill people, or risk being killed like some of my high school friends who joined the military. Could I still have served my country without taking tax-payer money from the feel-good AmeriCorps brand? Probably. But at the time I signed up, I wanted that feeling of joining something bigger than myself, something official, something that people would respect me for. In other words, something that I could put on a resume ;) Naive? Probably. How many young, idealistic graduates aren't naive? We all want to make the world a better place and we all want to be taken seriously. AmeriCorps gave me that opportunity. AmeriCorps granted about $11,000 to Knoxville Habitat for Humanity so that they could pay me $201.38 a week (after taxes) for 50 weeks to pour concrete foundations and sidewalks, frame walls, shingle roofs, side exteriors, pull wire, install cabinets, paint interiors, pick up and drop off supplies, and train and supervise volunteers to do the same. Could Knoxville Habitat for Humanity have hired a normal, non-AmeriCorps employee to do the same thing? Of course. They pay full-time construction staff two to three times the amount AmeriCorps pays me to do the exact same work. Could the homeowner have paid a for-profit builder to build her a house? No. I and most AmeriCorps members I know do work that poor people can't pay full price for and that non-profits theoretically could pay full price for, but don't need to pay full price for thanks to AmeriCorps. You see, most AmeriCorps funding goes to non-profits that write grants to support X AmeriCorps members to do A, B, and C for a year. Please think of AmeriCorps as a federally-funded nonprofit internship program rather than welfare for uneducated liberals. So, in that light, I believe one relevant non-rhetorical question to ask everyone is: should tax-payer money go to non-profit agencies? One way I think of it is like this: let's say that we the people, or our elected representatives, have decided to devote $48,000 of our collective taxpayer money to housing the poor. Which is a more efficient solution: A) Paying for-profit builders full market price for materials and labor to build public housing projects, whose occupants build no equity and continue to drain our collective resources. B) Paying an AmeriCorps member far less than market price to train and supervise volunteers who use discounted and donated materials to build permanent homes. I myself have often wondered if my service to my country was actually worth the $16,000 it costs all of you each year. I hope that in 20 years I'll have a chance to ask some of the 50 families I helped build homes for as an AmeriCorps member and see what they think. After all, as homeowners, off of public assistance, they will have paid back quite a bit of taxes by then. I just got done training and supervising a group of volunteers who helped nail shingles on a roof for a first time homeowner. My name is Jimbo Clark, and I am an AmeriCorps member serving with Knoxville Habitat for Humanity.

Upon graduating from the University of Tennessee in May 2006, I knew that I wanted to serve my country, but I didn’t want to kill people, help kill people, or risk being killed like some of my high school friends who joined the military. Could I still have served my country without taking tax-payer money from the feel-good AmeriCorps brand? Probably. But at the time I signed up, I wanted that feeling of joining something bigger than myself, something official, something that people would respect me for. In other words, something that I could put on a resume ;)

Naive? Probably. How many young, idealistic graduates aren’t naive? We all want to make the world a better place and we all want to be taken seriously.

AmeriCorps gave me that opportunity. AmeriCorps granted about $11,000 to Knoxville Habitat for Humanity so that they could pay me $201.38 a week (after taxes) for 50 weeks to pour concrete foundations and sidewalks, frame walls, shingle roofs, side exteriors, pull wire, install cabinets, paint interiors, pick up and drop off supplies, and train and supervise volunteers to do the same.

Could Knoxville Habitat for Humanity have hired a normal, non-AmeriCorps employee to do the same thing? Of course. They pay full-time construction staff two to three times the amount AmeriCorps pays me to do the exact same work.

Could the homeowner have paid a for-profit builder to build her a house? No.

I and most AmeriCorps members I know do work that poor people can’t pay full price for and that non-profits theoretically could pay full price for, but don’t need to pay full price for thanks to AmeriCorps. You see, most AmeriCorps funding goes to non-profits that write grants to support X AmeriCorps members to do A, B, and C for a year. Please think of AmeriCorps as a federally-funded nonprofit internship program rather than welfare for uneducated liberals.

So, in that light, I believe one relevant non-rhetorical question to ask everyone is: should tax-payer money go to non-profit agencies?

One way I think of it is like this: let’s say that we the people, or our elected representatives, have decided to devote $48,000 of our collective taxpayer money to housing the poor.

Which is a more efficient solution:

A) Paying for-profit builders full market price for materials and labor to build public housing projects, whose occupants build no equity and continue to drain our collective resources.

B) Paying an AmeriCorps member far less than market price to train and supervise volunteers who use discounted and donated materials to build permanent homes.

I myself have often wondered if my service to my country was actually worth the $16,000 it costs all of you each year. I hope that in 20 years I’ll have a chance to ask some of the 50 families I helped build homes for as an AmeriCorps member and see what they think. After all, as homeowners, off of public assistance, they will have paid back quite a bit of taxes by then.

]]> By: Gwen Charles http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-118707 Gwen Charles Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:08:54 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-118707 What have you learned from actual AmeriCorps members? Our daughter graduated summa cum laude from university and decided to devote a year's service to her country. She's helped in Katrina rebuilding (and where did all that government money go????) and is currently helping with the wildfire situation in California after weeks of support training. The world is changed by people who enact the change themselves. Our family has volunteered in Adult Learning and ESL projects as well as food bank service. We're not crazy about the way this administration has handled the past 7 years. But how DARE you pontificate about a program you obviously have researched only from online sites. TALK to the AmeriCorps people and check out their blogs. They are our future. Better them than C-average business majors and Harvard and Yale legacy graduates. What have you learned from actual AmeriCorps members? Our daughter graduated summa cum laude from university and decided to devote a year’s service to her country. She’s helped in Katrina rebuilding (and where did all that government money go????) and is currently helping with the wildfire situation in California after weeks of support training. The world is changed by people who enact the change themselves. Our family has volunteered in Adult Learning and ESL projects as well as food bank service. We’re not crazy about the way this administration has handled the past 7 years. But how DARE you pontificate about a program you obviously have researched only from online sites. TALK to the AmeriCorps people and check out their blogs. They are our future. Better them than C-average business majors and Harvard and Yale legacy graduates.

]]> By: Jay http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112598 Jay Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:49:07 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112598 I would venture to say your opinion is based on blissful ignorance. Volunteers that are deployed into schools must have college degrees (BA min.)and most are aspiring teachers. Students relate better with these 20 somethings then they would with a bitter, balding old man like yourself. Rather than encouraging civic engagement, i suppose you propose to cut the program entirely and let citizens take over? Unless your in the top 10% economically, free time is hard to come by. College grads could make at least double the money in the private sector then what they are making in the AC program. How many people you know would work full-time for 9 months for a paycheck of $11,000? You could make more at McDonalds or cleaning bathrooms. Trying to help the impoverished urban communities rather than white flight is admirable and should be applauded, not denounced by those that know little about the program. We should expand the program instead of donating money to Haliburton and other crooked multi-nationals. At least this way, we would get something tangible for our tax dollars as opposed to stuffing money in the coffers of the already super rich. The Pentagon pays the same amount for a toilet seat that an AmeriCorps member makes in a year. Your ridicule should be focused elsewhere. I would venture to say your opinion is based on blissful ignorance. Volunteers that are deployed into schools must have college degrees (BA min.)and most are aspiring teachers. Students relate better with these 20 somethings then they would with a bitter, balding old man like yourself. Rather than encouraging civic engagement, i suppose you propose to cut the program entirely and let citizens take over? Unless your in the top 10% economically, free time is hard to come by. College grads could make at least double the money in the private sector then what they are making in the AC program. How many people you know would work full-time for 9 months for a paycheck of $11,000? You could make more at McDonalds or cleaning bathrooms. Trying to help the impoverished urban communities rather than white flight is admirable and should be applauded, not denounced by those that know little about the program.
We should expand the program instead of donating money to Haliburton and other crooked multi-nationals. At least this way, we would get something tangible for our tax dollars as opposed to stuffing money in the coffers of the already super rich.
The Pentagon pays the same amount for a toilet seat that an AmeriCorps member makes in a year. Your ridicule should be focused elsewhere.

]]> By: Jennifer http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112557 Jennifer Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:34:19 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112557 I am a former Americorps member who served one year performing conservation work in the SW. Now, I work for the county supervising an Americorps crew. I absolutely love Americorps and all that it has to offer. With our small program alone, we treated 1,199 acres for wildfire fuels reduction, maintained 70.3 miles of trail, built 1,423 trail structures, planted 5,595 trees, improved 3,742 acres of habitat, and we eradicated invasive plant species across 697 acres of riparian area! Have you ever volunteered before? Americorp requires every corpsmember to volunteer in the community outside of their normal working hours. Have you ever felt the satisfaction of dedicating one year of your life to better your community or country? I have. Americorps has opened many doors of opportunity to myself and others I know. The National Park Svc., Forest Svc., Bureau of Land Management, Hot Shots, and many other's I could name have all hired former Americorp memebers from my program. Our program is only removing a small dent, in this massive wreck. Do you enjoy hiking? Are you content knowing your neighborhood will not be overtaken by a forest fire? Do you enjoy boating, fishing, or swimming? Do you enjoy being alive? Being able to breathe in the fresh air, and walk barefoot on the Earth that we all live on? I know I do, and I want to ensure that I have those freedoms for as long as I can. Check out our website, you might be the perfect candidate. I am a former Americorps member who served one year performing conservation work in the SW. Now, I work for the county supervising an Americorps crew. I absolutely love Americorps and all that it has to offer. With our small program alone, we treated 1,199 acres for wildfire fuels reduction, maintained 70.3 miles of trail, built 1,423 trail structures, planted 5,595 trees, improved 3,742 acres of habitat, and we eradicated invasive plant species across 697 acres of riparian area! Have you ever volunteered before? Americorp requires every corpsmember to volunteer in the community outside of their normal working hours. Have you ever felt the satisfaction of dedicating one year of your life to better your community or country? I have. Americorps has opened many doors of opportunity to myself and others I know. The National Park Svc., Forest Svc., Bureau of Land Management, Hot Shots, and many other’s I could name have all hired former Americorp memebers from my program. Our program is only removing a small dent, in this massive wreck. Do you enjoy hiking? Are you content knowing your neighborhood will not be overtaken by a forest fire? Do you enjoy boating, fishing, or swimming? Do you enjoy being alive? Being able to breathe in the fresh air, and walk barefoot on the Earth that we all live on? I know I do, and I want to ensure that I have those freedoms for as long as I can. Check out our website, you might be the perfect candidate.

]]> By: Morgan http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112353 Morgan Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:38:50 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112353 I agree with Bruce. I am a former AmeriCorps member and although there are silly little projects something so much bigger goes on. I spent seven months gutting out homes, and then rebuilding homes as well. And I can't even tell you the personal growth I got from it. AmeriCorps helped open my eyes to what the world is really like, and it helped me grow so much. I think you should check out americorps.gov, or go and do it for a year yourself. See what you have to say after the fact, because until you do that you don't deserve to say anything. I agree with Bruce. I am a former AmeriCorps member and although there are silly little projects something so much bigger goes on. I spent seven months gutting out homes, and then rebuilding homes as well. And I can’t even tell you the personal growth I got from it. AmeriCorps helped open my eyes to what the world is really like, and it helped me grow so much.
I think you should check out americorps.gov, or go and do it for a year yourself. See what you have to say after the fact, because until you do that you don’t deserve to say anything.

]]> By: Bill http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112133 Bill Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:35:11 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112133 Food for thought from all of you Food for thought from all of you

]]> By: Bruce http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112129 Bruce Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:01:54 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112129 Wow, this is really nice. Pull out some examples of silliness or excess in the Americorps program, and use that to trash the whole program. My son is an Americorps volunteer and recent college grad, helping 4th graders improve their reading skills. He has several friends doing similar work, or helping resettle refugees. You'd do yourself a favor, and the rest of us, if you (and the bloggers above) would actually go to the Americorps site and look at the kinds of jobs the program looks to fill - the kinds of experiences that will be good for the 20 somethings populating the program. Sure there's some fluff in the program, but there's a lot of good that's happening, too. Become informed. Wow, this is really nice. Pull out some examples of silliness or excess in the Americorps program, and use that to trash the whole program.

My son is an Americorps volunteer and recent college grad, helping 4th graders improve their reading skills. He has several friends doing similar work, or helping resettle refugees. You’d do yourself a favor, and the rest of us, if you (and the bloggers above) would actually go to the Americorps site and look at the kinds of jobs the program looks to fill - the kinds of experiences that will be good for the 20 somethings populating the program. Sure there’s some fluff in the program, but there’s a lot of good that’s happening, too. Become informed.

]]> By: Ryan http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112025 Ryan Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:32:38 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112025 Drive-by Darling, You're right. That was amusing. Are you still employed by AmeriCorps? Drive-by Darling,

You’re right. That was amusing.

Are you still employed by AmeriCorps?

]]> By: Drive-by Darling http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112013 Drive-by Darling Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:34:54 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/12/14/bushs-americorps-fraud/#comment-112013 Here's something to *amuse* you: No one of any significance cares about your stupid, arrogant opinions. Everyone knows that bloggers are often unemployable, self-important losers who are oblivious to the fact that their opinions are laughable hogwash. And to those bloggers who are actually employed, has it escaped your awareness that nearly everyone rolls their eyes every time you open your mouth and spew your halitosis-laden blather? Instead of sitting on your bottom and criticizing the government, why don't you do something useful and meaningful? You are only bitter because your AmeriCorps applications for stipend-volunteer employment were rejected. Get over it! Here’s something to *amuse* you:
No one of any significance cares about your stupid, arrogant opinions. Everyone knows that bloggers are often unemployable, self-important losers who are oblivious to the fact that their opinions are laughable hogwash. And to those bloggers who are actually employed, has it escaped your awareness that nearly everyone rolls their eyes every time you open your mouth and spew your halitosis-laden blather? Instead of sitting on your bottom and criticizing the government, why don’t you do something useful and meaningful? You are only bitter because your AmeriCorps applications for stipend-volunteer employment were rejected. Get over it!

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