The Impact of National Service Requirement on Young People's Connection to Politics and the Workforc

Defining Public Opinion and Its Effects on Government Actions

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:
6.1 Define public opinion and identify at least two ways public opinion affects government actions.
6.2 Evaluate how the political socialization process shapes political attitudes,opinions, and behavior and explain the impact of demographic characteristics on political behavior.
6.3 Describe three forms of social media and explain how social media can shape political decisions or events.
6.4 Assess the impact that world opinion of the United States has on the government’s domestic and foreign policy decisions.
6.5 Identify three factors that might distort public opinion results collected through opinion polling.

What if the United States adopted a policy that required all persons between the ages of 18 and 22 residing in the country to engage in domestic or military service for a period of at least 18 months? Would this create a stronger bond between young citizens and the nation? How might 18 months of service socialize new generations to politics and political activity? Young people typically know less about politics, express less interest in politics, and vote less often than their elders. But that can change! In 2012, people under 30 made up a larger share of the electorate than those 65 and older. Thus, young citizens have tremendous potential to shape politics and policy if they get involved.

The United States has a long history of citizens rendering service to their communities, including the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Peace Corps, and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA). Teach for America recruits college graduates and trains them to teach in America’s most challenged schools. During the Clinton administration, AmeriCorps, a large-scale national service program designed to place young people in service positions in communities across the country, was established. The Obama administration significantly expanded both the AmeriCorps and VISTA programs. New initiatives include STEM AmeriCorps (designed to mobilize professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields to inspire young people to excel) and FEMACorps (a 1,600- member AmeriCorps program solely devoted to disaster response and recovery).

Would young people be willing to serve their country? This chapter reviews the process of becoming socialized into civic and political life and, as a result, how we develop and express political opinions. Forces such as the family, schools, faith communities, the media, and peers all shape how we understand public life. Likewise, direct personal experience with politics is a developmental force. From national surveys of first-year college students, we know that roughly a third of all students believe that it is important to keep up with political affairs and that roughly a third report a very good chance that they will participate in community service volunteer work while in college.

These individuals are also more likely to remain engaged with their communities after they graduate from college. Those who oppose national service do so for a variety of reasons, including the disruption to education and career, as well as the belief that individual liberty would be violated.Service as Workforce Preparation Currently 5.6 million young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 are out of school and not working. By 2020, the United States is projected to experience a shortfall of 5 million workers who have education and training beyond high school. National service offers a strategy to bridge the gap between compulsory education and a robust preparation for work in the new economy. According to a recent report by the Corporation for National and Community Service, service is associated with greater employment outcomes. Service can increase the likelihood of finding employment by 51 percent among volunteers without a high school diploma. Further, every $1 invested in national service returns $4 to society in the form of higher earnings,increased economic output, and savings to taxpayers due to lower spending on
government programs.

For Critical Analysis
1. Do you believe a national service requirement would improve young people’s connection to politics, to their community, and to the country? Why or why not?
2. Would national service be a good way for young people to gain workforce skills not typically developed through formal education? How might you directly benefit from a service experience in ways that you cannot find in your classroom?
3. You have no doubt heard the phrase, “with rights come responsibilities.”What responsibilities do you have as a resident of your community, of your state, and of the nation.