In times of crisis, America’s leaders have historically relied on national service to recover and rebuild. During the Great Depression, President Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps mobilizing millions of unemployed Americans. After 9/11, President Bush expanded AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps. Now, amid the worst public health crisis in our lifetime, President Biden has signed the largest investment in national service in decades.
Meanwhile, the state of American democracy feels fragile. The United States is among the 25 countries with the most significant declines in freedom over the past decade, according to a Freedom House report released this month. Moreover, the proliferation of divisiveness and disinformation — culminating in the brutal attack on the Capitol on January 6 — has further weakened our democracy.
To solve these foundational problems, we need long-term solutions. Investing in universal national service — engaging one million young Americans annually in paid, full-time civilian national service — is the most important strategy we can implement to ensure the strength and security of our nation. It’s an investment in our democracy and in one another as citizens...
