I support the draft--hear me out!

[Orrex]

Okay, not a full draft, and not of actual people, okay?

Here's how it goes: SoldierX works in the private sector and makes (for example) $50K per anum. SoldierX is activated and subsequently makes, what? I'm not sure, but probably a whole lot less, and there's no guarantee that his employer will foot the difference.

The argument is basically that, regardless of his worth in the private sector, in the service he's worth only what military protocol has decided, so that's what he gets paid. And if SoldierX decides not to fulfill his duty, or not to do as he's told, he faces stiff penalties. Courts martial, and incarceration, and all that.

Now, corporations are practically citizens, right? I mean, they've been ruled to be "artificial persons," and they can own property and engage in contracts, right? And they certainly buy votes, just like rich citizens, right?

So let's draft corporations. Specifically, let's draft defense contractors. That way, we can require them to produce in whatever volume is necessary, and we set their pay (just like normal soldiers' pay is set). And if the company fails to fulfill its duty, then the persons responsible for that failure (i.e., the CEO, CFO, and the BoD as a whole) can be tried in military court and incarcerated, etc. etc. etc.

Maybe then we'd hear some complaints about the war from its profiteers, rather than those insignificant wives, husbands, children, and parents who've lost loved ones to this stupid stupid stupid (and illegal) war.

Bring it on!

[flamin lib]

1. Gotta' love the concept! I'll get flamed, but I'm in favor of a

draft. I was drafted in 1969 and can tell you that it was a VERY interesting time to be in the service and that I didn't like it one tiny bit.

That said, a draft serves three purposes:

It involves Mon & Dad America. My mother was all for killin' them Commies until her little boy got involved in the shooting.

It plants short timers in among the career military which makes for great watchdogs. Stories of waste and abuse get back to the general populace without the filter of MSM.

It makes the youth of America politically active. Nothing like the threat of being shot at to make one pay attention to foreign policy!

Before you flame me with providing more troops to be abused by the PNACers consider this: as long as the troops being killed are somebody else's kids they are invisible. It's the SBEP invisibility shield. As long as it is Some Body Else's Problem, we can't see it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Haer Hear

[Sapphire Blue]

4. self deleted

[friesianrider]

6. As long as citizens have nothing to lose...

Sure...why not have a war?

It's so easy to stand up and preach about freedom when you're kid isn't the one losing his life for it.

[wurzel]

3. A draft should be mandatory when war is declared. It is a moral issue.

How many of these clowns who supported this invasion of a sovereign state, that was no threat to us, if their children could be drafted? I'll tell you. None. How do I know? Because not one of their kids has turned up a military recruiting station yet. It should be illegal to declare a war without at the same time having to institute the draft. Strictly be lottery, with no deferments. That would be the end of the wars.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Yesterday I got a chance to kick one of these bastards

and this is my story for the day...

I was doing demos of a new sci fi combat game I am writing (The tactical side to the RPG)... so one item in the rules includes the fact that you can shoot through walls, assuming you can lock on.

So this guy, who we know is a Hawk, starts going over how unrealisitic this is (yearh really, modern American Armor can do this under certain conditions)... add some centuries and yep common thing)

So I got tired... and asked him (he is originally from Israel), so what branch of service did you serve in?

What does it matter, I moved here when I was 12.

So yuo did not go back at 18 to do your four years of mandatory service?

I ... was a US Citizen by ... then (Never mind you cannot give up Israeli Citizenship)

Ok that is nice... (sarcam)

Well you know we hve to keep fighting this war against ....

Look buddy go USarmy.com, put the uniform and go over there... put up or shut up!

He walked very sheepishly away from me... for the record my husband is a USN Veteran and has seen combat and I saw combat as a medic with the Red Cross in Tijuana (nore shoot outs than I care to think about... )

So I did call him a yellow belly coward without calling him one... I felt good. I don't think he will talk to me any time soon



Or so I hope.

[friesianrider]

8. I think I can agree with that.

Only problem is, we haven't officially "declared war" in a long time. Not like this COngress wouldn't do anything * wanted.

[TahitiNut]

5. People vs. Property

(Property is winning.)

[damntexdem]

9. OK, a draft limited to corporations is OK. But much better would be:

to pass a constitutional amendment clarifying that corporations are NOT persons.

No draft, no way!