Rangel Wants to Reinstate the Draft
I vaguely remember in 2004 (I think. . .) that the Dems tried to win extra votes by scaring the younger voters into believing that Republicans wanted to reinstate the draft. Well, surprise, surprise. That’s what Charlie Rangel, D-NY, is proposing.
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.
In 2003, he 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.
AP story here.
Posted by COgirl
November 19th, 2006 at 3:14 pm
I thought that was just a tactic to embarrass Bush in the past.
This man wants to have the Democratic congress on record as supporting a draft?
Why do I think Pelosi will be unable to keep control of this congress…
November 19th, 2006 at 4:54 pm
I don’t think she’ll keep control past the New Year. I’m not opposed to the draft, but I question my own motivation on that. Although I enlisted, I grew up with the draft and I don’t think it’s a bad thing, but I don’t have draft-age children. I have trouble separating my personal experiences on that issue. I think everyone should serve their county, but should they be forced to do so?
November 19th, 2006 at 5:46 pm
I don’t think the army has the facilities for a draft.
In the mean time women should be regestering for the draft like all 18 year old males are required to now.
November 19th, 2006 at 5:53 pm
As a retired military person, I personnaly think that ending the draft led to the isolation of the military by the masses.
I think we did a great disservice to the youth in the country. They never learned duty, honor, country, so therefore they don’t hold a stake in military affairs.
The all volunteer military is a great success, however, at a cost to the patroitism of those men who have come of age since.
November 19th, 2006 at 6:33 pm
Excellent point, RP. What I wonder though is how the quality of the military might be impacted by a draft. I was under the impression that those who volunteered did a better job than those who didn’t when there was a draft.
November 19th, 2006 at 8:01 pm
I think we did a great disservice to the youth in the country. They never learned duty, honor, country, so therefore they don’t hold a stake in military affairs.
Why should the federal government force people to join the military if they don’t want to be there?
November 19th, 2006 at 8:04 pm
Xom. My point exactly. Thanks
November 19th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
Rangel is pushing the draft again
A draft is wrong for this country in more ways then I can count, but Rep Rangel never has cared. If memory serves, He tried this back in ‘04 and then threw a fit when the House dared bring it up for a vote. Americans would have to sign up for a new…
November 19th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Why should the federal goverment force people to pay taxes if they don’t want to?
You owe a little bit to your country for the privlige of living here.
November 19th, 2006 at 8:51 pm
George,
Me thinks that Xom is perfectly content to have someone else defend his country while not supporting those who do.
Typical liberal attitude.
November 19th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
Without the US military, there would be no United States of America.
Something all those “patriotic” students at UC Santa Cruz and other schools just seem to ignore.
November 19th, 2006 at 9:09 pm
George,
They don’t want a USA, they want a United Nations.
They would not fight for the UN either.
These are Pitiful Americans.
November 19th, 2006 at 9:15 pm
They are pitiful humans. They’re not real Americans. They have no idea how well they have it.
It’s that or they feel guilty about being a citizen of the greatest country with the greatest economy in the history of mankind.
November 19th, 2006 at 9:25 pm
In their world, John Kerry was right. The military is to be disdained.
That was my origonal point. We have robbed a whole generation of their patriotism.
I was in the miltary during the whole Vietnam conflict. The draftees were, for the most part, good servicemen, but the 25% who were dissidents were more trouble than they were worth.
That is why we went to an all volunteer forced and it is truly superior, however, everyone should be made to serve in some manner.
November 19th, 2006 at 11:26 pm
[…] Hang Right Politics […]
November 19th, 2006 at 11:38 pm
Rangel doesn’t want a draft.
He is playing three-card-monte.
November 19th, 2006 at 11:43 pm
FC, and he will lose, just like he did last time,
Pelosi’s problems are just beginning.
Sad, huh
November 19th, 2006 at 11:49 pm
Nancy Pelosi will never LOOK sad.
I will just give her another Rhytidectomy.
November 19th, 2006 at 11:51 pm
She will never look sad, because she can’t frown.
But she sure can look ugly.
November 20th, 2006 at 6:52 am
This was defeated last time by an overwhelming majority. I doubt that the GOP and anti-war Dems will favor the bill this time.
November 20th, 2006 at 9:42 am
I would prefer to have individuals who have commitment to their ideals serving in defense of this Nation rather than those feeling that they are impressed into that duty. The concept of conscription never sat well with the Republic and was seen as a last means of saving it during the Civil War.
Dedicated young men and women looking to defend their Nation and *mean* it have proven to be capable enough to deal with the awful old style regimes of this planet. If we want a better military with wider adherance we can pay more to our troops and give them fair and good honor upon completion of their duties.
We forget that the young Republic gave Congress other warpowers that could engage more of the Citizenry while not being in the military. That was seen as honorable then and highly supported by the Nation as a means of defending it. In point of fact it is the ONLY method designed to go directly after non-Nation State actors performing acts of War upon the United States. And only Congress can institute it.
When we start asking: ‘why can’t those willing and able to pick up the slack be given fair reward and protection to do so?’ remember that Congress could pass laws tomorrow to make that so. And really get the People of the Nation involved in this fight, as we are the only ones who can win it.
November 20th, 2006 at 9:53 am
Rangle only wants the draft so that he can say only the poor and minorities get drafted.
He is a pimp. :evil:
November 20th, 2006 at 10:24 am
I have one son who served in the Army and another getting ready to turn 18 on the 21st I am not opposed to the draft however I believe that these soldiers need at least 1 year to learn all the 21st century weaponry. If we do the draft the term can be no shorter then 4 years. I support those who believe that this Country is worth fighting for.
November 20th, 2006 at 10:31 am
That is why the Air Force requires four years. It takes at least two to train on complex equipment.
November 20th, 2006 at 11:53 am
People should be encouraged to join the military. Our nation isn’t Israel by a long shot, and I don’t think we can pull off what works very well for them. Above all else, we should work to stop left-wing nuts from painting such a negative picture of our armed forces (whether by disallowing recruiters from campuses or constantly comparing active soldiers to uneducated, trigger-happy hillbillies).
I vaguely recall a story earlier this year about an elementary school where an assignment was to do a project on what you want to be when you grow up. One kid brought in a bunch of information on the military, and talked about his brother, who was currently serving. The teacher proceeded to go on a vicious tirade against the military and the Iraq war. I can’t imagine what damage that might have done to the kid, who may have made a fine soldier one day.
Before I found out about my herniated disc, I was planning on wrapping-up my BA in Linguistics (studying Arabic quite earnestly) and then enlisting in the Marine Corps. If I manage to get beyond the disc, I still hope to enlist.