As I was attempting to write this paper, I realized that my first project would not get me

to a six to eight page paper. So I started to search around for a new idea to propose, and this new
idea would have to get me to a six to eight page paper. Seeing as I enjoy politics, I decided to
focus on something from that realm. So I thought about what was wrong with our political
system today, and my first idea was that only some people should be allowed to vote. That idea
did not take me very far, because every citizen who is mentally able should be allowed to vote.
Then I tried to narrow it down to limiting people based on a voter knowledge test. However, this
idea was already tried; mostly in the South utilizing the poll taxes and voters tests. The U.S.
Supreme Court has already
ruled that idea un-
constitutional. So, for about
two weeks I have been
searching for a proposal that
works with what I see as
being wrong with the
political system. It was not
until after I saw a youtube.com video clip that I cannot remember the name of, that it hit me. The
short version of the clip is that a California surfer guy is on food stamps, and he said he has no
intention of working. That all he wants to do is crash on his friends couches, eat lobster and
sushi, and not work. He was happy with this lifestyle. I thought to myself how does someone end
up like this? This individual has no sense of value to the whole of society. Then it came to me,
the average person does not value the basic things. The basis of society is your citizenshipso
my proposal is this. No longer will people be granted citizenship by birth, it has to be earned.
Starting on 1 January 2015 at 0001, citizenship in the United States will no longer be
granted by birth, regardless of your parents status. Those born after this date will be classified as
Resident Non-Citizens (RNC). Those foreign nationals (FN) who wish to become U.S. Citizens
will have a more streamlined route than they have now. They will be able to achieve citizenship
through military service for not less than five years. RNCs will have the ability to earn their
citizenship through one of four ways; starting one week after the sophomore year RNCs will be
able to start one of three work programs, or upon graduation they will be able to perform military
service for not less than three years. Half way through the sophomore year, student RNCs will
take an aptitude test that will help identify which of the three work programs they are best suited
for. The three work programs are: Tutoring in the poorest districts of the country away from the
culture they know, a Renewed Deal work program where groups go around and fix the U.S.
infrastructure, or the Selfless Service Program that in times of national emergencies would assist
the National Guard or, instead of monetary foreign aid, groups would be sent to render aid in
foreign countries.
The tutoring program is designed not only to help the RNC understand sacrifice for the
greater good, but will also help a broken educational system by helping provide tutors to the
poorest districts in the county. Based on the aptitude test, the students choosing this program will
be broken down into four groups representing
Math, Science, English, and History. Starting
one week after the end of the sophomore year,
RNCs will go to a three month training
program that will prepare the student for what
they will expect to encounter while tutoring.
This includes refinement of critical learning skills for the subjects they will be tutoring along
with refinement of teaching and public speaking skills. The RNCs will then be sent to a school
district for nine months. Those RNCs that live in a metropolitan area will be sent to a rural area
and those from the North will be sent to the South, and those on the East Coast will be sent to the
West Coast. This will not only lower the student to teacher ratio and allow students a better
understanding of the subjects taught, but will also introduce the student RNCs to new aspects of
the American culture.
The Renewed Deal program is along the same lines as President Roosevelts new deal
back in the 1930s. This program is designed to help repair the failing U.S. infrastructure. Starting
one week after the sophomore year, RNCs will be sent, based on their aptitude scores and if they
volunteer, to a technical school to learn the basic skills needed to help the construction or repair
of different non-sensitive national projects. These national projects will be repairing the
interstate road system, airports, national parks, and dams. All projects that the Renewed Deal
will work on will be supervised by a Construction Foremen working closely with the unions. All
subgroups of student RNCs will,
in addition to the foremen, be
supervised by a construction
worker to ensure that all
standards and safety
requirements are maintained.
This program is intended to
teach sacrifice through hard
work but will also give RNCs
basic skills that can be used if they choose to pursue a career in construction.
The Selfless Service Program will start one week after the end of the sophomore year.
Three months will be spent on physical training, leadership, real world problem solving, decision
making, and land navigation. Once the RNCs complete this training program, they will be sent to
assist the States National Guard, or, inlue of monetary foreign aid, the RNCs will be sent to assist
in natural disaster clean up, food distribution, basic construction programs, and other
humanitarian programs. Think of the disaster
in Haiti, instead of military and billions in
foreign aid, the Selfless Service personal
would be sent to clean up and provide aid,
saving the country billions. The idea behind
this program is not only to save billions in
foreign aid, but to give the student RNCs a
chance to learn leadership skills that could
help in their future lives. This program is
more geared to those that wish to lead, either
in the military or in the civilian sector.
During all three programs, student RNCs will be required to attend four hours of night
classes to continue their education. These classes will consist of Math, Science, English, and a
new class called Common Skills. This Common Skills class will teach the student basic skills
necessary to succeed in life. These skills include balancing your check book, understanding
loans, time management, finding an apartment, vehicle maintenance, and how to do laundry.
These programs are designed so as not to be easy; the student RNC will have little time if any
off. The student RNC will be working very hard and long hours with no pay. They will be
provided with uniforms and food and housing in a dorm environment. If the student RNC
misbehaves too many times or chooses to not do the work assigned in the scope of the program,
then they can be sent home; and having made the decision to not participate in the program, will
be removed and prevented from every trying again.
Student RNCs who choose not to participate in one of the three programs, will be able to
attend school that year, and be taught the same things that the program students are being taught,
with the addition of History of the Failure of Society class. This class is to teach those students
that remain why this program was initiated and the real consequences of their decision to not
participate in the program.
Both RNCs and FNs can choose to perform military service to earn citizenship. RNCs
will be required to serve not less than three years or until no longer needed by the military. FNs
will be required to serve not less than five years or until no longer needed so as to allow for a
vetting process. While performing military service, the RNCs and FNs will be able to choose
their job based on the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) that they will be
required to take. No RNC or FN will be
commissioned until they have served for
one year as an enlisted member. This is
so they will have a better understanding
of that way of life and so that a basic
vetting process can be completed.
Under the law, RNCs will receive all the same protections that citizens enjoy. If while
abroad, an RNC gets into trouble with the law, the U.S. consulate or embassy will be able to help
with their legal troubles. The only real difference between RNCs and FNs and U.S. Citizens will
be the right to vote or hold office. Any person who has been diagnosed with a mental illness or
has been found not to have the mental capacity to perform any of the listed actions to earn
citizenship, they will be protected under the law and cared for, however they will not be
considered citizens and cannot vote or hold office.
The benefits to
being a citizen are not
many. Outside of the title,
a citizen not only can hold
office and vote, but
receives free college tuition
to any State school if they
are accepted. Citizens not
only pay fewer taxes, but
those that served in the military will pay ten percent less in taxes as well. Health care is free, and
cheaper housing will be available. You will be protected under the law, and only have a few
extra benefits.
If at any time during an RNC or FNs service, whether military or during the three training
programs, they decide to no long wish to continue the program they are in, they can choose to
quit the program and will then be sent home. However, they will not earn their citizenship and
will never again be allowed the opportunity to earn their citizenship. The idea of the programs
and military service is to make the RNCs and FNs choose to earn their citizenship, making the
citizenship worth something. These tasks will make everyone earn and enjoy citizenship. They
will understand the responsibility and the cost of leadership. Once this new generation comes to
power in Congress, they will throw off the yoke of the political factions and start running
America for Americans, leading this country to a whole new ear of prosperity. The new era will
give Americans a new sense of being. Having to earn your citizenship, you will not take things
for granted, and will earn your way through life. Having things given to you will be considered
weakness and will lower your standing in the community. The whole idea here is for people to
live by the creed that something given has no real value.