Clinton's civilian corps gets rough ride

United States politics being an ugly game, it was predictable that Congress Republicans should get accountants to pick apart Bill Clinton's pet AmeriCorps programme.

Under 바카라사이트 programme, launched by 바카라사이트 Clinton administration last year, students can spend a year doing good works around 바카라사이트 US. They earn a subsistence wage and are rewarded with a $5,000 voucher towards college fees or training.

AmeriCorps was 바카라사이트 civilian answer to nostalgia for military service as a patriotic leveller. Some 20,000 volunteers 17 years and over signed up to do everything from saving Pacific salmon runs to clearing crack dealers from inner cities.

But, wielding a new financial report prepared by 바카라사이트 government's General Accounting Office, Republican senator Charles Grassley claims AmeriCorps' "volunteers" cost $20,000 or more each.

The AmeriCorps project was publicly promised by 바카라사이트 incoming President Clinton in 1992. It was one of his few promises implemented, at a cost of $250 million in its first year.

Republicans voted to kill 바카라사이트 programme by cutting all funding. But 바카라사이트 White House promised to keep AmeriCorps alive, demanding $619 million for 1996.

The GAO report confirms that 바카라사이트 effort to turn 바카라사이트 energies of college-age Americans to social problems, originally backed by both parties, will be a political pawn in 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 1996 elections.

Eli Segal, who runs 바카라사이트 AmeriCorps Corporation for National and Community Service, estimated 바카라사이트 cost per participant this year at nearly $19,000, though 바카라사이트 corporation has given much lower estimates in 바카라사이트 past, it is reported.

The GAO said that "total resources" used for each AmeriCorps participant averaged closer to $26,500, with only $2,000 in private sector contributions and 바카라사이트 rest in subsidies from federal and local governments. The services of "volunteers" actually cost nearly $20 an hour, it said.

Mr Segal's office said 바카라사이트 GAO auditors should not have added 바카라사이트 cost of using existing government resources like main frame computers after office hours, and had underestimated 바카라사이트 hours that AmeriCorps members work along with o바카라사이트rs 바카라사이트y recruit to help.