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Obama Tells Citizens To Be Volunteers

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The Washington Post

Published: July 3, 2008

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Continuing to press themes of values, faith and patriotism, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama exhorted Americans on Wednesday "to step into the strong currents of history" and volunteer for service to their country, pledging to dramatically expand opportunities for those accepting his challenge.

On a campaign swing that included visits to military bases, which he had previously largely steered clear of, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee sought to emphasize his love of country.

"That's the bet our Founding Fathers were making all of those years - that our individual destinies could be tied together in the common destiny of democracy, that government depends not just on the consent of the governed but on the service of citizens," Obama he told a small audience filling a gymnasium at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

"That's what history calls us to do, because loving your country shouldn't just mean watching fireworks on the Fourth of July. Loving your country must mean accepting your responsibility to do your part to change it."

He emphasized what he called "the enormity of the American accomplishment," touring Peterson Air Force Base here and visiting the ultra-secretive North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Northern Command headquarters and the Air Force Academy.

At $3.5 billion a year, his service plan would expand AmeriCorps by 250,000 slots, double the size of the Peace Corps by 2011, expand the Foreign Service, and create an Energy Corps to conduct renewable-energy and environmental-cleanup projects.

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