Parenti: Why the children of the rich won't be drafted if there is a draft

[Lone_Wolf]

I was reading Michael Parenti's Democracy for the Few and read this on page 304 where he was talking about Conservative Judicial Activism:

"The SC justices upheld a law requiring males to register with the Selective Service System if they want federal financial aid--a requirement that can easily be evaded by students who do not need aid."

In other words, it seems likely that the children of the affluent have never registered with the SSS because they don't need college financial aid. Thus, they will never be called up in a draft.

[demnan]

1. Also

if they draft those who are 20 years old the wealthy kids have plenty of time to get into college after high school and thus will have defermants.

[Bunny]

14. College deferrment is over.

No longer an option. If you're in college, you are only permitted to finish the current semester, then you report for duty. If you're a senior in college, you are allowed to finish that whole year, then you also report for duty.

[dsc]

2. that isn't the only consequence of not registering

they also can go to jail. It may make it easier at this point for the poor to get caught but it is still a crime.

[Lone_Wolf]

4. Which states?

Interesting. I haven't heard of this? Which states?

[dsc]

6. It is under federal law

Admittedly I know of no one who actually went to jail for this, but we had no draft during this time either. But it is part of the law.

[Scooter24]

3. Some states...

...are now requiring males to sign up for the SS when they get their drivers licenses at 18.

[atreides1]

5. Maybe

But some states are now requiring that when you renew your drivers license you have to register for selective service, and even the little rich kids can't avoid renewing their licenses.

And the college deferment option is not the same as it was. If you are currently enrolled in college your deferment only lasts until you
graduate, and you still have to keep a specific GPA, or the deferment will be revoked.

So there isn't much of a way out in that direction

[mac56]

8. Little rich kids don't worry whether they have licenses.

They drive anyway. Same as poor kids, I suppose, but with fewer consequences.

[atreides1]

19. This May Be True

But they still have to get them renewed, just like everyone else. And upon renewal they get registered for the draft, just like everyone else.

[mac56]

27. No, they don't.

I know of a few people who are driving on expired licenses because for one reason or another they don't feel the need to go in and face the bureaucracy. They plan to deal with whatever consequences may ensue.

[dsc]

28. In many states

the consequences that may ensue include jail. No licence means, barring self insurance, no insurance. In many states repeatedly driving without insurance will lead to both jail and forfeture of a car.

[mac56]

30. Yes, I know.

That's why I'd never do it. I'm just sayin' - there are those who aren't troubled by those possibilities. Either they believe they'll never get caught, or that "regular people's consequences" won't apply to them.

I'm just sayin'

[Scooter24]

9. Actually..

The college deferment option says you are allowed to finish you current semester at school. Seniors are the only ones that have the option to finish the year.

[atreides1]

18. You're Right

I just found that out today.

[Bridget Burke]

7. Even if they get drafted, they can be protected.

My mother worked at a Texas airfield during WWII--you know, "The Good War"--when everybody was glad to do their duty.

She said quite a few sons of prominent Houston families were stationed there. Before privatization of military support, many served without getting shot at; the jobs needed to be done.

But when somebody gets a "safe" posting that also allows them to sleep at home & not miss out on any social life--somebody pulled some strings.

[atreides1]

21. Not Under Current Draft Laws

Not the way the draft laws are written they won't. The local draft boards are not being made up of "professionals", like those of WWII were made up of.

The draft boards being formed are made up to represent the population
of an area that they are in. Myself I work in a warehouse, and I'm a member of the draft board in my area, the lady who is the head of the board is a teacher, both of us are veterans. I don't know who the makes up the rest of the board, but I'll find out.

And as far as strings being pulled, I can promise that if I see any of that going on in my area, should the draft be re-instated, I'll report it to the regional director, then the local media, then here at DU. That's a promise

[Jackpine Radical]

10. This is all as it should be.

America must preserve its genetically superior classes for leadership positions in business and government, putting only the riffraff at risk in actual combat.

[HawkerHurricane]

11. You have it backwords...

The genetically/financially superior specimens should be doing the very difficult front line positions, where their superiority will guarantee American victory.
The lesser specimen (the middle class) should do those critical, rear area, supporting billets.
The poorest samples (the poor) should be kept clear of the military, lest their bad genes and inferior financial acumen contaminate combat units, rendering them less effective.

[Ready4Change]

13. My thought

Screw superiority. I think those with the idea of going to war should be the ones on the front lines.

[Jackpine Radical]

23. Ah, but Hawk--

There are so many MOS's that don't require a lot of acumen.
Like Cook. Bullet catcher. Booby trap finder.

Surely you can see how the truly superior would have other priorities, like campaigning for Poppy's pals, volunteering for inner-city drug treatment programs, say, in Houston or somewhere...you know, important things that will prepare them to lead the Free World. Wouldn't want to contaminate those Beautiful Minds with images of children's detached body parts or anything, now, would we?

[HawkerHurricane]

24. Ah, but...

The superior specimens would also be able to take the stress better! Leading to fewer psychiatric cases later on!
And superior personnel would also be more likely to prepare tasty meals as cook, be able to catch more bullets as bullet catcher, and find more booby traps as booby trap finder!
Besides, isn't travel to foriegn lands broadening? I've traveled to many foriegn lands, and you should see how broad I am...

[mainer]

12. All males must register at age 18

I wasn't aware there were any exceptions. Believe me, if there were, my sons wouldn't have registered.

As for rich vs. poor, one way for the privileged to avoid service is to get a medical deferment. A family doctor could find a "medical condition" that would disqualify a draftee. To be honest, my husband, an M.D., is so angry about this Iraq war that he said he might be willing to help disqualify any young anti-war draftees.
But if they're young chickenhawks -- no way!

[Scooter24]

15. Interesting...

My mother is a pediatric surgeon, and she has mentioned something similar to me. I felt guilty of having her "diagnose" me with a heart condition or asthma to avoid the draft but she, as well as her colleague, was willing to do it to keep me home. We are taking a wait and see approach because I also am a dual national and that opens up another can of worms.

When the news broke of the "special skills" draft, she met with a group of her surgeons about this. They were overwhelmingly in favor of "voluntary revoking" their license to practice medicine so they wouldn't be drafted. What would happen if we have a nation of doctors who quit the medical profession so they can avoid the draft? The military couldn't draft non-licensed doctors.

[RapidCreek]

16. We'd have a nation full of chickenshits.

Why try and skate out of the draft....I think it'd be allot better if we had a nation of Doctors in prison because they refused to be used as mercenarys for carpet baggers. Such an approach would garner quite a bit more press and might eventually serve to save some lives, which is what I thought Doctors were all about.

RC

[Jackpine Radical]

29. What do you call a non-licensed doc in the military?

"Hey, Medic!"

(Or, in the Navy/Corps, "Help! Corpsman!")

[PaDUer]

25. You've got mail n/t

[Drifter]

17. The morning I turned 18 ...

(1982), my mother had me down to the post office to register. This is not because she wanted me to be drafted. It was because we would not get any financial aid if I didn't.

This was a safe thing. I had already been told by a recuiter, that due to my stuttering, I may not be eligible to join any of the armed forces (I was interested in the AF).

Cheers
Drifter

[mtnester]

22. During a draft

they won't care if you stutter...won't affect your ability to pull a trigger....draft is different from voluntary service

[denverbill]

20. Wow. I never considered that.

SOB's.

I figured they'd just draft everyone, but the rich ones would somehow manage to get cushy stateside jobs, in the GWB Wing of the Texas Air National Guard.

[Endangered Specie]

26. Why? because that is the order of things.