Should "Universal Service" be required to become a citizen instead of birth?

At the very least, a person should have to serve in order to have the right to vote. Since we have so many people in this country who would protest mandatory service, I think two years of voluntary service should cut your federal taxes in half. If a person doesn't want to serve, that's fine, but they will be paying the full rate. In your time of service, if you are injured, your taxes shouldn't be higher than 1% of your taxable income. I know the fat cat career politicians would never let that fly though. They need every penny they can get to keep funding those free haircuts and expensive suits.

This concept is discussed at length in the book Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein. Great book, on the Commandant's Reading List.

I love the idea of Citizens having "Obligations" and "Duties." Jury Duty & Selective Service are the two that come to mind.

I'm divided on this issue.

You don't value things you don't work for. Anything that is given to you doesn't have the same value as something that you sweat blood & tears for. But, we sweat blood & tears so our children don't have to.

Who remembers the last great Jewish Boxer? Or Asian gardeners? I know these are stereotypes, but they're OLD stereotypes from yesteryear.

Now, we do reward public service. Serve 4 years in the Military and you get the GI Bill. But we also swapped to an All Volunteer Force for a variety of reasons.