In 2008, Obama Called For Expansion Of AmeriCorps And Other Programs

In Speech Calling For Expansion Of AmeriCorps, Foreign Service, And Other Programs, Obama Said Our “Civilian National Security Force” Must Be As Powerful As The Military. From a July 2, 2008, speech by Obama in Colorado Springs, Colorado:

Today, AmeriCorps -- our nation's network of local, state, and national service programs -- has 75,000 slots. And I know firsthand the quality of these programs. My wife, Michelle, once left her job at a law firm and at City Hall to be a founding director of an AmeriCorps program in Chicago that trains young people for careers in public service. And these programs invest Americans in their communities and their country. They tap America's greatest resource -- our citizens.

And that's why as president, I will expand AmeriCorps to 250,000 slots and make that increased service a vehicle to meet national goals like providing health care and education, saving our planet and restoring our standing in the world, so that citizens see their efforts connected to a common purpose. People of all ages, stations, and skills will be asked to serve. Because when it comes to the challenges we face, the American people are not the problem -- they are the answer.

So we are going to send -- we're going to send more college graduates to teach and mentor our young people. We'll call on Americans to join an Energy Corps to conduct renewable energy and environmental cleanup projects in their neighborhoods all across the country. We will enlist our veterans to find jobs and support for other vets, and to be there for our military families. And we're going to grow our Foreign Service, open consulates that have been shuttered, and double the size of the Peace Corps by 2011 to renew our diplomacy.

We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded. [YouTube, 7/2/08]

Roger Ailes Was Reportedly Concerned That Obama's Speech Meant He “Wanted To Create A National Police Force”

New York Magazine: Ailes “Was Concerned That Obama Wanted To Create A National Police Force.” In a profile published by New York magazine on Ailes, the president of Fox News, author Gabriel Sherman reported that Ailes told Obama aide David Axelrod that he was “concerned that Obama wanted to create a national police force.” From New York magazine:

For Fox, the war with the White House only stoked ratings. A Fox executive told Clemente that the White House's attacks were like “a hanging curveball” for Fox.

While Dunn and others publicly engaged Fox, David Axelrod worked back-­channel diplomacy as the good cop. About a week before Dunn's CNN appearance, Axelrod secretly sat down with Ailes at the Palm in midtown. They met before the restaurant opened to avoid drawing attention. Axelrod told Ailes they should try to defuse things and work together.

Going back to the 2008 campaign, Axelrod had maintained an off-the-­record dialogue with Ailes. He had faced off against Ailes in a U.S. Senate campaign in the early eighties and respected him as a fellow political warrior and shaper of narrative. But early on, Axelrod learned he couldn't change Ailes's outlook on Obama. In one meeting in 2008, Ailes told Axelrod that he was concerned that Obama wanted to create a national police force.

“You can't be serious,” Axelrod replied. “What makes you think that?”

Ailes responded by e-mailing Axelrod a YouTube clip from a campaign speech Obama had given on national service, in which he called for the creation of a new civilian corps to work alongside the military on projects overseas.

Later, Axelrod related in a conversation that the exchange was the moment he realized Ailes truly believed what he was broadcasting. [New York magazine, 5/22/11]

Glenn Beck Repeatedly Pushed A Similar Myth, Claiming Obama Wanted To Create His “Own Army”

In September 2008, Beck Claimed Obama “Has Already Deployed An Army Of 2,200 Community Organizers.” On September 5, 2008, Beck said:

BECK: This from Investors Business Daily: Barack Obama was a founding member of the board of Public Allies in 1992. You go to the website, Public Allies, and you are going to see that it's just a community organizer. That's all this is, just community organization. Barack Obama, founding member of the board of Public Allies in 1992. His wife became the executive director of the Chicago chapter of Public Allies in 1993. Got it? Obama plans to use the nonprofit group which he features on his campaign website as the model for a national service corps.

We've heard about this national service corps, haven't we? Universal voluntary public service. When Michelle Obama said he'll never allow you to sit idly by again, he will never allow you to be unengaged. What does that mean? Universal voluntary public service, a national service corps. Quoting from the story: Our alumni from Public Allies are more than twice as likely as 18 34 year olds to engage in protest activities. Public Allies boasts in a document found with its tax filings. It has already deployed an army of 2,200 community organizers like Obama to agitate for “Justice and equality” in his hometown of Chicago and other U.S. cities including Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York, Phoenix, Pittsburgh and Washington. Cincinnati recruit Amy Vinson said, “I get to practice being an activist and I get paid for it.” The Obamas' plan is to herd American youth into government funded reeducation camps where they will be brainwashed into thinking that America is a racist, oppressive place in need of social change. The pitch Public Allies makes on its website doesn't seem that radical. It promises to place young adults 18 30 in a paid one year community leadership position with nonprofit or government agencies. They will also be required to attend weekly training workshops and three retreats.

[...]

A Public Allies training seminar in Chicago describes heterosexism as a negative byproduct of capital quoting of capitalism, white supremacy, patriarchy and male dominated privilege, end quote. By the way, your tax dollars now fund about half of Public Allies' expenses, through Bill Clinton's AmeriCorps. Obama wants to fully fund it and expand it to a national program some say will cost $500 billion.

Obama said, quote: We have got to have a civilian national security force that is just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded as the military. Public Allies, Chicago chapter. Founding, founding member, Barack Obama. Executive director, Michelle Obama. Listen to the words in their speeches. It is all code language. It is all the language of the 1960s radicals. They have their they have their tentacles into an organization that does good things but also teaches that heterosexism is a byproduct of capitalism, white supremacy, patriarchy and male dominated privilege. Heterosexism! [GlennBeck.com, 9/5/08]

In July 2009, Beck Claimed Obama “Wants To Create A Civilian Army” Of “Community Organizers” “More Well-Funded Than The Military.” During the July 27, 2009, edition of his Fox News show, Beck stated:

BECK: Obama handles every issue like a community organizer would, and he wants to create a civilian army. Anybody remember this from the campaign? A civilian army in the form of community organizers more well -- I'm quoting him “more well-funded than the military.” Last year he said, and I quote, “We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we have set. We have got to have a civilian national security force that is just as powerful, just as strong, and just as well-funded.” You got to be kidding me. If you want a government-funded civilian army of ACORNs, well you are going to be a happy camper very soon if America keeps sleeping. [Fox News, Glenn Beck, 7/27/09, via Media Matters]

In August 2009, Beck Suggested A “Civilian National Security Force” Would Be Part Of Obama's “Thugocracy.” During the August 27, 2009, edition of his Fox News show, Beck claimed that Obama was creating a “civilian national security force that is just as strong, just as powerful as the military.” From Fox News' Glenn Beck:

BECK: I believe, just so you know going in, that this is probably the most controversial show of the week, because you must understand the last three episodes of the show to be able to see and come to a place to where you can believe that these crazy things may actually be happening. I want you to know. I hope these things are not happening. I hope that there is some other explanation. But I needed you to see who is advising the president earlier this week and what they're doing and who they are before I could ask you to look at this phrase from Barack Obama and think that the president of the United States literally means this.

OBAMA [video clip]: We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.

[...]

BECK: I can't make this piece of the puzzle fit unless this piece is about building some kind of thugocracy. All week we have been asking tough questions. Tonight, I would just love to hear the answers for these questions and here are some: Mr. President why do we need a civilian national security force that is just as strong, just as powerful as the military? Here's why I ask that question. Who are we fighting exactly? Who internally is threatening our security? It's clearly -- I've tried to piece this together, I've tried to come up with an answer, and please America, if I'm missing it please let me know.

It's clearly not because we feel there is a threat from illegal aliens crossing the border. Nobody in the government, this administration or the last, has a problem with what's going on in the border. And anyone who would say that there has been a problem has been deemed a racist. A civilian national security force on the border is called the Minute Men. And the attitude from this administration as well as the Bush administration was that they were vigilantes. So it's not for the border.

It can't be a national civilian -- a national security force against Islamic extremists. I say this honestly, because according to this administration, we're not even at war against Islamic extremists anymore. Is this administration expecting us to believe that they're going to ask of the American people to profile and call in tips on Muslim Americans who act suspiciously? That doesn't make any sense whatsoever. So who are the enemies? [Fox News, Glenn Beck, 8/27/09, via Media Matters]

In August 2009, Beck Said Obama's “National Security Force” Is “What Hitler Did With The SS.” During the August 27, 2009, edition of his Fox News show, Beck claimed that Obama was trying to create a “national security force” like “Hitler did with the SS.” From Fox News' Glenn Beck:

BECK: Who is the enemy that we need a national security force inside? Who is the enemy? Can you come up with anybody?

DAVID BELLAVIA (vice chairman, Vets for Freedom): You. I really don't know, Glenn. You know what it comes down to though, and I want to make this comparison. I am not comparing my president to Saddam Hussein or to Hitler or anything else. I want your audience to understand something from a military point of view. When Saddam Hussein lost confidence in his army in '91, when they capitulated, when they quit, when they stopped following his orders, he created and he supported, re-supported what was called a Fedayeen -- a group of loyalists who weren't loyal to the country or the flag. They were loyal to the office of president and to the man who held that office. And what we're seeing now is a complete disconnect to the warrior class in America, to the military, and to the left. They never had a common denominator. They never had a way to understand us. So you know what? We don't need you.

If we have to enforce, let's say, I don't know, polling laws, we want to keep polling intimidation down in 2012, we'll send in our Civilian Corps. If we want to make sure the census is run correctly and the right people are counted, we'll bring in our Civilian Corps. If we want to, I don't know, take away the arms of radical militias in South Texas, bring these guys in. This is scary stuff.

BECK: But I mean, I'm finding this -- this is the hardest part to connect to because this is -- I mean look. You know, David what you just said is, you said “I'm not comparing,” but you are. I mean, this is what Hitler did with the SS. He had his own people. He had the brownshirts and then the SS. This is what Saddam Hussein -- so, you are comparing that, and I mean, I think America would have a hard time getting their arms around that. [Fox News, Glenn Beck, 8/27/09, via Media Matters]

In April 2010, Beck Revised His “Civilian Army” Theory: “It's Called The Unions.” During the April 12, 2010, edition of his radio show, Beck claimed: “People say: 'Oh, Barack Obama's building a civilian defense force, a civilian army.' He has one. It's called the unions. The unions are his enforcers.” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Glenn Beck Program, 4/12/10, via Media Matters]

In October 2010, Beck Stated That Hugo Chavez's “Idea” Of A “Civilian Militia” Is An Idea “From This [U.S.] President.” During the October 4, 2010, edition of his radio show, Beck stated:

BECK: After the next election, I think your radicals on the left are going to gear up. Remember, what they do best is hurt people that are in power, cause tension, stir it up, antagonize, get into the streets. They're not good at ruling. They're good at causing trouble. Well that's what -- now it's time for that. And if you think that's crazy let me just tell you that Chavez has vowed to radicalize after the election. His election, they've just lost of -- he lost a lot of power and a lot of seats, and so he said, “Fine, we're going to turn up the heat.” And they've gone more radical. I believe that's what's going to happen here. Chavez says there is a new civilian militia, a new civilian army that should be armed full-time. Well, I think I've heard that from the president of the United States -- that very idea from this president before the last election. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Glenn Beck Program, 10/4/10, via Media Matters]

In May 2011, Beck Offered Up “Civilian Defense Force” Theory As Evidence That Obama Hates The Police. From the May 11 edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Glenn Beck Program:

STU BURGUIERE (producer): You know, there are some people who would say this is just stupid, it's stupid. But there's some people who say of all the stuff we talk about with the administration, and you know, sometimes you can't figure out Barack Obama, but rarely does he seem to do anything that would make you believe the opposite of that he really sees cops in the negative light. He really sees them --

BECK: Only when they act stupidly.

BURGUIERE: No, I --

PAT GRAY (co-host): What racist hater would say something like that, Stu?

BURGUIERE: Some people. We're getting calls from tea party members who are pointing out

GRAY: Oh no, hang right on up on those people.

BURGUIERE: that of all the things you say about this administration--

GRAY: Hang up on them.

BURGUIERE: man that one seems really to the core. That one seems really to the core. It seems like he's very consistent on coming out on the strange side of cop issues. Some tea party members are saying it.

BECK: They are the oppressors. They're the oppressors.

BURGUIERE: Exactly.

BECK: They're the oppressors, the cops. You know what we need?

BURGUIERE: What's that?

BECK: Is we need a civilian defense force that is just as well-funded. That's not my words. I'm not saying that. I wouldn't want that. You know? But if you think that the cops are all out of control.

GRAY: Then maybe --

OBAMA [video clip]: We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.

GRAY: Maybe Common could head that civilian force up.

BECK: No, I believe that will be headed up by Van Jones.

[Premiere Radio Networks, The Glenn Beck Program, 5/11/11, via Media Matters]