Sen. Barack Obama has made several speeches this week calling on Americans to volunteer to serve their country, reports The Washington Post.

Promising a wide array of expanded opportunities, Senator Obama said on Wednesday that “government depends not just on the consent of the governed but on the service of citizens.”

Senator Obama’s service plan, first detailed in December and expanded slightly on Wednesday, would cost an estimated $3.5-billion annually. It would increase AmeriCorps members by 250,000, double the Peace Corps by 2011, create an Energy Corps for renewable-energy and environmental projects, and expand the Foreign Service. Additionally, a Social Investment Fund Network would support the nonprofit world, and veterans would be tapped to help other veterans find jobs.

Referring to his own experience working as a community organizer, Senator Obama said, “Through service, I found a community that embraced me, citizenship that was meaningful, the direction I’d been seeking.”

For more about the candidates’ views on national service and other topics, see the Campaign 2008 section of The Chronicle’s Web site. In addition, see an article on the public-service group that is a key influence in the campaign.

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