Can National Service Bring Americans Together Again?
Mike talks with Vicky Hausman, founder and CEO of the American Service Project, about reimagining national service to address political polarization, economic insecurity, and the challenges of artificial intelligence. Despite overwhelming bipartisan support—including 84% of Trump voters—national service remains remarkably limited. Why hasn’t public enthusiasm translated into meaningful legislation? And could a dramatically expanded civilian service program help young Americans develop skills, find meaningful work, and connect with people from different backgrounds?
Mike and Vicky explore whether service should be mandatory, how to make participation accessible beyond affluent college graduates, and what national service offers that apprenticeships and vocational training don’t. They also examine potential job displacement, promising state-level experiments, and the substantial costs of expanding service. Finally, they consider the disconnect between Trump’s supporters and his administration’s AmeriCorps cuts, and whether national service could become a defining issue in the 2028 presidential election.
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