We the undersigned urge the Legislative and Executive Branches of the United States Government to reactivate refund and revamp FDR's popular New Deal program the United States Civilian Conservation Corps(1933-1942). Reactivation, refunding and revamping United States Civilian Conservation Corps(CCC) will give us a proven program with more bang for the buck!
The reactivation, refunding and revamping of the CCC would again be under the direct control of the government and will not be privatized. The CCC would utilize federal agencies such as Labor, Agriculture, Interior, Veterans Affairs and the DOD. The CCC would receive proper appropriations from Congress to perform its duties as required. For the CCC to achieve accountability and to prevent overlap and fraud the federal government would stop all funding to similar federal, state and municipal programs and their personnel would be absorbed back into the CCC.
The CCC would work in the construction, maintenance and carrying on of works in a public nature in the connection of public lands that belong to the United States. States, Native lands and US Territories that are suitable for such cooperative work on their agricultural, park, watershed, and forest lands in forest protection, flood control, erosion control, wildfire suppression, park improvements, park development, wildlife protection, historical restoration, ranch and farmland erosion control, grazing erosion control, disaster relief with agreements with the American Red Cross to help those in distress, clean-up pollution, rebuild housing and infrastructure, and repair damage to the environment, and other services needed that would benefit the United States of America in our public domain. The CCC would be engaged in fighting global warming by planting millions of trees and have the best opportunities to qualify for future green job careers.
The reactivation, refunding and revamping of the CCC would now enroll fit single women and men from eighteen to twenty-five who are US Citizens. The CCC would be considered a national service agency as the Peace Corps without a college degree. The CCC would be an alternative national service for those who do not wish to serve in the military but would rather serve their country on our own soil. The CCC would enroll fit war veterans of any age. The CCC could also consider enrolling US Citizens and war veterans on a case by case basis for those who have non-violent criminal record who have served their time or are on probation and need employment and a second start.
Enrollments would last for six months and can be extended up to two years. The enrollees would also be considered - Government Issue- GIs. The CCC would provide our GIs with a living wage, free medical, dental, clothing, room (barracks) and board and after hours, they would have optional time for vocational training and education. Most enrollees would have to adapt to being far away from home. Our GIs would all have a valuable work experience, make new friends, and have real fun, travel, and adventure. Our GIs could receive time in government service and have access to the GI Bill for post secondary college and vocational education.
Finally, the United States Civilian Conservation Corps would enable the United States with a more confident, competent and reliable workforce ready for employment. As FDR wrote in 1933, "More important than the material gains from their labors will be the moral and spiritual value of such work."
Observations from two famous American Authors and Historians:
James A. Michner wrote in his book - This Noble Land, "I was favorably impressed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, which had, so far as I could see, a faultless program in which young people could do constructive work for their communities while earning a modest salary. I would have hopes for such a program, were one to be reinstituted now."
Howard Zinn wrote, "The CCC was not only one of the greatest innovations of the New Deal, but it provides a model for us today. It is the answer to the double problem of unemployed youth (who turn to drugs, who end up in prison) and the persistence of war, with its enormous drain on the national wealth. The young, instead of being recruited to kill and be killed, or to come home maimed in body or in mind, could be put to work in government programs like the CCC, doing all sorts of constructive things to make our environment cleaner and safer. Such work would have the opposite effect of military action -- that is, it would foster healthy bodies and healthy minds as these young people make a great contribution to the nation. The situation today, with a trillion dollars wasted on war, with young men and women coming home damaged, with a crumbling infrastructure making us vulnerable to more Katrina's, and more human disasters, cries out for such a solution."
We the undersigned:
Urge you our elected leaders to recognize the United States Civilian Conservation Corps as the nation's most popular government program and largest civilian workforce that gave us, More Bang for the Buck!
The United States Civilian Conservation Corps would enable a new national service and give our nation a competent and reliable workforce, and more important than the material gains will be the moral and spiritual value of such work.
Thank you for your time and consideration to reactivate, refund and revamp our most popular government program in US History.
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