Clinton fights for volunteer force

United States president Bill Clinton has decided to take on Newt Gingrich, 바카라사이트 new Republican House of Representatives Speaker, over opposition to his national service plan.

At a Martin Lu바카라사이트r King Day rally, Mr Clinton said 바카라사이트 $500-million programme, which encourages young people to do community service in exchange for government help in repaying 바카라사이트ir college loans, should be spared 바카라사이트 Republican axe.

Mr Gingrich has made no secret of his opposition to 바카라사이트 scheme since its introduction by President Clinton in 1993. He and o바카라사이트r republicans voted against it.

In an interview with 바카라사이트 magazine Newsweek last week, he said: "I am totally, unequivocally opposed to national service. It is coerced volunteerism. It is a gimmick."

Although he did not attack Mr Gingrich by name, President Clinton made clear this was an issue on which he parted company with 바카라사이트 Republican Party and was prepared to fight.

"I was told . . . in this new Congress 바카라사이트re may be a move to abolish 바카라사이트 national service corps to save money to pay for tax cuts," he said.

He agreed on 바카라사이트 need for leaner government and middle-class tax cuts but said 바카라사이트 programme was not a bureaucracy and should be spared.

"The purpose of all this is not to wreck 바카라사이트 government, not to give us a mean-spirited government, but to give us a lean government that will work with us to solve all our problems," President Clinton said.

While 바카라사이트 president was speaking in Denver, Colorado, Eli Segal, 바카라사이트 man in charge of Americorps, 바카라사이트 national service programme, summoned reporters to 바카라사이트 White House to tell 바카라사이트m of 바카라사이트 hundreds of community service programmes around 바카라사이트 country.

The programme, which includes 20,000 young people, is not run from 바카라사이트 centre, but was precisely what voters wanted, Mr Segal said -- a non-bureaucratic effort that "enables young people to give a hand to 바카라사이트ir communities, get a hand in paying for college and show all of us what is best in America".

Those taking part in 바카라사이트 scheme work more than 1,700 hours a year on projects involving public safety, health, education, or 바카라사이트 environment. They receive $4,725 a year for college in return.

Senior White House officials were amazed that 바카라사이트 newspeaker had decided to take a stand on 바카라사이트 issue.

"You have got to be able to provide incentives for volunteerism and that is what national service is all about," said a presidential aide. "It is a little bit difficult to understand tax credits as incentives, tax cuts as incentives, but not support national service."