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Oil spill presents opportunity for President to launch national service program for all able-bodied residents of United States

June 14, 2010

WorldTVNews.com

MIAMI - BP’s failure to stop its disastrous oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico is laying the foundation for a “date which will live in infamy” moment for President Obama to call for the creation of a new national public service program in the United States.

Clearly, the growing oil mess is far different from the start of World War II, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt used those words in a six-minute speech to Congress to ask for a declaration of war in 1941.

That said, Mr. Obama now has, or will soon have, the political means to ask “every able-bodied man, woman and child” to come to the aid of America’s Gulf Coast - even if it’s only for two weeks.

“This oil assault on our residents, our wildlife and our country demands action by all Americans who have the ability to act,” he could say.  “But these actions must be well-organized to produce real, meaningful results and create, in the end, a stronger America.”

These volunteers could be organized by existing non-profit organizations under the direction of the White House.