Since Barack Obama was elected, there’s been a drumbeat of encouragement for him to develop a new government role for charity — a cabinet-level position to promote the arts or a new White House office to support philanthropy.

Timothy Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics and a member of the Kennedy family, is going one step further, calling for the creation of a U.S. Department of Development and Service. Mr. Shriver is the son of Sargent Shriver, who helped form the Peace Corps, and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who established Special Olympics.

“Today, there’s no national voice inviting Americans to serve humanitarian interests around the world and no clear strategy for promoting democracy, economic development, health, education, and human rights,” he writes in The Washington Post.

“More than ever, citizen groups, philanthropies, businesses, and faith-based organizations are willing to do more to promote basic education for all, opportunity for women and girls, inclusion for those with disabilities, and peace. More than ever, the ability exists to eradicate age old diseases of the body like malaria and age old diseases of the spirit like fear and intolerance. With Obama’s inspirational power, the response to a presidential call would be monumental,” he writes.

What do you think of Mr. Shriver’s proposal? Click on the comments box below to add your thoughts.