Military Draft incoming?

[Phlegm]

Democratic Representative Charles Rangel will introduce a bill for a military draft next year. From Associated Press:

WASHINGTON - Americans would have to sign up for a new military draft after turning 18 under a bill the incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee says he will introduce next year.

Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., said Sunday he sees his idea as a way to deter politicians from launching wars.

“There’s no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm’s way,” Rangel said.

Rangel, a veteran of the Korean War who has unsuccessfully sponsored legislation on conscription in the past, said he will propose a measure early next year. While he said he is serious about the proposal, there is little evident support among lawmakers for it.

In 2003, Rangel proposed a measure covering people age 18 to 26. This year, he offered a plan to mandate military service for men and women between age 18 and 42; it went nowhere in the Republican-led Congress.

Democrats will control the House and Senate come January because of their victories in the Nov. 7 election.

At a time when some lawmakers are urging the military to send more troops to Iraq, “I don’t see how anyone can support the war and not support the draft,” said Rangel, who also proposed a draft in January 2003, before the U.S. invasion of Iraq. “I think to do so is hypocritical.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Standby Reserve, said he agreed that the U.S. does not have enough people in the military.

“I think we can do this with an all-voluntary service, all-voluntary Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy. And if we can’t, then we’ll look for some other option,” said Graham, who is assigned as a reserve judge to the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.

Rangel, the next chairman of the House tax-writing committee, said he worried the military was being strained by its overseas commitments.

“If we’re going to challenge Iran and challenge North Korea and then, as some people have asked, to send more troops to Iraq, we can’t do that without a draft,” Rangel said.

He said having a draft would not necessarily mean everyone called to duty would have to serve. Instead, “young people (would) commit themselves to a couple of years in service to this great republic, whether it’s our seaports, our airports, in schools, in hospitals,” with a promise of educational benefits at the end of service.

Graham said he believes the all-voluntary military “represents the country pretty well in terms of ethnic makeup, economic background.”

Repeated polls have shown that about seven in 10 Americans oppose reinstatement of the draft and officials say they do not expect to restart conscription.

Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told Congress in June 2005 that “there isn’t a chance in the world that the draft will be brought back.”

Yet the prospect of the long global fight against terrorism and the continuing U.S. commitment to stabilizing Iraq have kept the idea in the public’s mind.

The military drafted conscripts during the Civil War, both world wars and between 1948 and 1973. An agency independent of the Defense Department, the Selective Service System, keeps an updated registry of men age 18-25 — now about 16 million — from which to supply untrained draftees that would supplement the professional all-volunteer armed forces.

Rangel and Graham appeared on “Face the Nation” on CBS.

[Lionking]

Better get a good education, otherwise you'll end up in the military. Oh snap!

[araby]

Better get a good education, otherwise you'll end up in the military. Oh snap!

My parent's philosophy =\

[Jay]

Get to Charter Oaks now or be drafted!

[Lionking]

Get to Charter Oaks now or be drafted!

I said a GOOD education.

[Tikker]

I liked the part in that one Moore movie where he went around and asked all the politicians which of their kids would be volunteering for the army to go to iraq

[10sun]

I think this would be a good way to prevent politicians from sticking their shit where it doesn't belong.

Imagine if all their kids and/or grandkids were in the active military... would Bush have gone to war?

In fact, why not make it mandatory for politician's children to be put into active combat duty before Jamal Smith from the ghetto.

[Tacks]

This post comes up on NT every year.

[Yamori]

What a douchebag... even if it's for apparent political ploys.

I'd like to see any politician that votes for draft or forced labor legislation be put to involuntary work themselves.

[Tikker]

I actually don't have an issue with mandatory military service for everyone

[Narrock]

Get to Charter Oaks now or be drafted!

I said a GOOD education.

It is a very good education.

[Jay]

Get to Charter Oaks now or be drafted!

I said a GOOD education.

It is a very good education.

I guess we'll see. If Mindia get's drafted, then we'll know =P

[Eziekial]

Rangel is one of the best examples of how stupid politicians can be. NY must be so proud of him and Hillary. I wonder what Hillary's stance is on a draft??

[Yamori]

I actually don't have an issue with mandatory military service for everyone

Unless you feel like going through mandatory military service yourself (any voluntary time doesn't count - we're talking 2 years forced military labor), you should.

I wouldn't have a major problem with it if everyone in the country was forced to spend their precious time being forced to work against their will.*

That includes 40 year old busy business managers, retired elderly, all the hard working joes and janes, and yes - every damned politician. I'm 100% sure these people would be singing a different tune if their lives were effected.

It sickens me that these fat old cretins feel like they're entitled to toss around human beings' time in whatever way they see fit - like people are just property - simply because they are so-and-so aged.


*Ok I actually would have a problem with it. :P

[Evermore]

ya, how many politican's kids will not be "drafted" ?

[Tikker]

I actually don't have an issue with mandatory military service for everyone

Unless you feel like going through mandatory military service yourself (any voluntary time doesn't count - we're talking 2 years forced military labor), you should.

I wouldn't have a major problem with it if everyone in the country was forced to spend their precious time being forced to work against their will.*

That includes 40 year old busy business managers, retired elderly, all the hard working joes and janes, and yes - every damned politician. I'm 100% sure these people would be singing a different tune if their lives were effected.

It sickens me that these fat old cretins feel like they're entitled to toss around human beings' time in whatever way they see fit - like people are just property - simply because they are so-and-so aged.


*Ok I actually would have a problem with it. :P

I really don't see the big deal in having everyone, upon graduation of highschool (or reaching the age of 18) having to spend 2 years in the service

[Yamori]

I actually don't have an issue with mandatory military service for everyone

Unless you feel like going through mandatory military service yourself (any voluntary time doesn't count - we're talking 2 years forced military labor), you should.

I wouldn't have a major problem with it if everyone in the country was forced to spend their precious time being forced to work against their will.*

That includes 40 year old busy business managers, retired elderly, all the hard working joes and janes, and yes - every damned politician. I'm 100% sure these people would be singing a different tune if their lives were effected.

It sickens me that these fat old cretins feel like they're entitled to toss around human beings' time in whatever way they see fit - like people are just property - simply because they are so-and-so aged.


*Ok I actually would have a problem with it. :P

I really don't see the big deal in having everyone, upon graduation of highschool (or reaching the age of 18) having to spend 2 years in the service

Like I said - would you be willing to spend 2 years in mandatory servitude? Not if you were 18 again --- I mean right now, at your current age (you're 28-35ish I take it?). Any voluntary military service from the past wouldn't count as having "done it" - it wasn't mandatory. If you'd be willing to put aside your current career, family, aspirations, and (possibly) relationships to be forced to do military/civilian labor for 2 years, fine. I don't think many would though.

[Narrock]

I actually don't have an issue with mandatory military service for everyone

Unless you feel like going through mandatory military service yourself (any voluntary time doesn't count - we're talking 2 years forced military labor), you should.

I wouldn't have a major problem with it if everyone in the country was forced to spend their precious time being forced to work against their will.*

That includes 40 year old busy business managers, retired elderly, all the hard working joes and janes, and yes - every damned politician. I'm 100% sure these people would be singing a different tune if their lives were effected.

It sickens me that these fat old cretins feel like they're entitled to toss around human beings' time in whatever way they see fit - like people are just property - simply because they are so-and-so aged.


*Ok I actually would have a problem with it. :P

I really don't see the big deal in having everyone, upon graduation of highschool (or reaching the age of 18) having to spend 2 years in the service

I agree with Tikker on this.

[Evermore]

Tikker is canadian he doesnt count. personally i dont want to put my kids lives in the hands of a shitpole like bush. Just to clarify i did my 4. but i wasnt dealing with the lvl of retardation we have in power or coming to power now.

[araby]

No way you are suggesting that in America citizens are forced to serve two years in the military. I honestly don't believe that you really think like that.

[Yamori]

Tikker is Canadian so he has an excuse to be for it at least. :P

If their constitution doesn't prohibit forced labor, it just gets boiled down to the question/debate of whether people are fundamentally individually sovereign - or simply pawns of the state that are merely granted the arbitrary 'priviledge', via some politician, of spending their time as they choose, I suppose.

In the US I would hope it would not be passed for obvious reasons, or be protested via court and shot down if it ever came to pass, due to the 13th ammendment:

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

[Tikker]

I actually don't have an issue with mandatory military service for everyone

Unless you feel like going through mandatory military service yourself (any voluntary time doesn't count - we're talking 2 years forced military labor), you should.

I wouldn't have a major problem with it if everyone in the country was forced to spend their precious time being forced to work against their will.*

That includes 40 year old busy business managers, retired elderly, all the hard working joes and janes, and yes - every damned politician. I'm 100% sure these people would be singing a different tune if their lives were effected.

It sickens me that these fat old cretins feel like they're entitled to toss around human beings' time in whatever way they see fit - like people are just property - simply because they are so-and-so aged.


*Ok I actually would have a problem with it. :P

I really don't see the big deal in having everyone, upon graduation of highschool (or reaching the age of 18) having to spend 2 years in the service

Like I said - would you be willing to spend 2 years in mandatory servitude? Not if you were 18 again --- I mean right now, at your current age (you're 28-35ish I take it?). Any voluntary military service from the past wouldn't count as having "done it" - it wasn't mandatory. If you'd be willing to put aside your current career, family, aspirations, and (possibly) relationships to be forced to do military/civilian labor for 2 years, fine. I don't think many would though.

we're not talking about the same thing

But no, if it was meant to be that way, I'd serve my time, and look down on the little toads like with pride~

[Mop]

I personaly think that Americans should serve 2 years of Govt duty - that could be military or it could be working a desk job for the govt. Then have college completly paid for by govt.


Just imo.

[Diekan]

I actually don't have an issue with mandatory military service for everyone

Unless you feel like going through mandatory military service yourself (any voluntary time doesn't count - we're talking 2 years forced military labor), you should.

I wouldn't have a major problem with it if everyone in the country was forced to spend their precious time being forced to work against their will.*

That includes 40 year old busy business managers, retired elderly, all the hard working joes and janes, and yes - every damned politician. I'm 100% sure these people would be singing a different tune if their lives were effected.

It sickens me that these fat old cretins feel like they're entitled to toss around human beings' time in whatever way they see fit - like people are just property - simply because they are so-and-so aged.


*Ok I actually would have a problem with it. :P

I really don't see the big deal in having everyone, upon graduation of highschool (or reaching the age of 18) having to spend 2 years in the service

What makes the US military the best in the world is because it's completely voluntary. Forcing service is a bad idea. This is just one more "freedom" the government wants to take away from us. Pretty soon they'll be telling us what we can and can't do for a living. Our government is getting more and more communist every election it seems.

[DESX]

I also don't have any issue with having to serve 2 mandatory years of service. But then again im enlisted anyway so I wouldn't care either way. Marines FTW.