Serving the common good.

I'm for a domestic corps. Sort of a peace corps that operates solely inside the USA. Not in foreign countries. The corps of volunteers, or perhaps even young citizens drafted, compelled to spend two years of their lives, serving the common good. Serving wherever they are needed. Maybe in hospitals and nursing homes, for instance. To care for Alzheimer patients. To relieve overburdened care-givers. And to upgrade the nation's other social services and infrastructure. Maybe by helping build or rebuild community centers and parks. Not military service. But domestic service. Peaceful service. To bolster the social service system. Welfare. Helping poor people. To lift themselves out of poverty. Some could be teachers. Or teacher assistants. In the classrooms. To reduce the size of classes. Or to offer better academic programs. The corps could draw upon people of all ages. Including senior citizens. Retired old farts like me. Paid a minimum wage. A very minimal wage. The basic idea is to serve the common good. To make for a better society. A better America. And the domestic corps could move into areas where natural disasters occur. Tornadoes. Or floods. Or earthquakes. To alleviate some of the suffering. And hardships. Imagine that. Giving service to the country. Everybody feeling obligated to give. Time and effort. Two years of their lives. Similar to the military draft. But non-military in nature. I'd be the first to volunteer. Send me to a nursing home. To care for Alzheimer patients. I'm good at it. Experienced. Knowledgeable. Enthusiastic. Another thing. The domestic corps could recruit the unemployed. Giving them jobs. Useful work. Yes, for nominal wages. But imagine the rewards. The joy of serving the common good. --Jim Broede