NO Draft

[INdemo]

Never thought I would hear a Democrat bring up the issue of reinstating the Draft..No,No..Young men and women worked hard to force congress to do away with the draft system and to Charles Rangel I say don't even think about it..If he thinks the draft would be a way to force rich kids to serve he is wrong.

[stepnw1f]

1. Will Republicans Send Their Kids to War?

Nope... the Draft won't happen.

[mike_c]

2. forcing rich kids to serve is not the way to end the war against Iraq....

Forcing anyone into a crime against humanity is not right, especially if congress does it for cheap political cover. Congress should simply do its duty and cut off the funding and authorization for the war against Iraq. They should stop looking for political cover. This is shameful.

[Union Thug]

9. I agree, but I don't think anything will change until the Paris Hiltons

of the world are coming back in body bags.

[Union Thug]

3. Yes, there should be a draft... and here is how it will work...

If the person comes from a wealthy family, they will serve 4 years in the military - no exceptions - both men and women. There will be no 'champagne units'. If the country is at war, they go to the front lines ahead of everyone else. Again, no exceptions.

If they try to use their wealth to flee the country or are caught trying to bribe their way out, their citizenship will be revoked and they will sent to Iraq to start a new life there.

If you are from a household that takes in over about 150K/year, or has more than a million dollars in assets, you obviously have more at stake than the rest of us, so get your sorry fucking assess over and fight those wars! Why should the working people cover your asses for you, you cowardly little parasites?

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. I agree with you

we do need a draft with no excpetions.

There is only one and it is partial. You are in college, fine... you have been drafted, you're now in ROTC... PERIOD, we will need the officers too. And after you are done with your degree, here is your commision.

Good luck butter bar.

Many do not get it... Rangel's system will actually cut down on the hunger for war from the elites in this country. (and will get the youth involved once again)

[Mythsaje]

10. Right...

So the poor and middle class youth who've managed to find a future other than as pawns of the military-industrial complex get to be dragged into the fight anyway just so we can force to elites to face the repercussions of their choices?

I'm sure they'll appreciate the distinction. "Hey, at least you're going to be dying next to that Senator's son."

Uh-huh. Sure.

[bahrbearian]

11. Instituting the Draft was one of the reasons the Public

took notice of the Viet Nam war.

[Mythsaje]

13. The draft already existed

and it still took several years for people to figure it out. My Dad was there in '63. The war didn't end until '74.

We don't have a draft and yet people figured it out in three this time around. And they don't want Congress to drag MORE kids into it--they want it stopped NOW.

[SammyWinstonJack]

14. The elites will always find a way out of going to

war and a way to not pay their share. For the elite there will always be exceptions! No draft!

[Union Thug]

23. Actually, I agree with you. However, as I said above, until

the Paris Hiltons of the world come back in body bags, nothing is going to change.

[SammyWinstonJack]

26. The paris hiltons will never come back in body bag and there in lies the rub.

[Union Thug]

28. No argument here. But if these a-holes insist on a draft,

This is where it should start.

[sandyd921]

37. Yes.

Sure enough got the kids of the well-to-do out in the streets protesting during Vietnam and put pressure on the talking heads to do something to end it. Until the costs of this war are spread more equally across the strata of society its unlikely it will end and worse, shrub and company will see no real barriers to wider conflicts (like Iran and Syria).

[bahrbearian]

5. In a perfect world.

[Union Thug]

8. I know it will never happen, but it would be nice to get the meme

out there.

[INdemo]

12. Well what I am saying is that rich folks will find a way to keep their kids

from serving just like in the 60's..There is nothing fair about the draft.
What you are saying is true but the rich will buy their kids out of serving or at least get some plush job in the states and will never see a fox hole..It wont work..The draft just does not work..
The voluntary armed forces work fine..We just dont need to be involved in a war that had nothing to do with protecting our country and everything to do with making rich folks richer.

[JerseygirlCT]

16. I hope you're joking

Classism works both ways, you know.

Does wealth automatically make you evil, Bush-loving, corporatist war-mongers? I don't think so. Just as being poor doesn't make a person noble.

That's a naive view of things, and not at all helpful.

[Union Thug]

24. No, but wealth does give you an exponentiated

investment in the system. And if you are invested heavily in a system that keeps you in the wealthiest class, then you should be fighting. Not the poor kids who are barely able to pay their bills or get health care.

Your damned right classism works both ways. And I'm perfectly willing to stand by my classist disdain of the wealthy. I make no bones about it.

[MercutioATC]

38. I'm an air traffic controller and my total income is just under $150k/yr.

Am I a "cowardly little parasite" because I don't want my son drafted?

[SammyWinstonJack]

6. !!

:thumbsup: And no more war!

[MadMaddie]

7. Rangel has brought this up before....

He fought in the Korean war where everyone was drafted rich, poor etc.

I think we have to look at the Draft population in 2006...

The population is spoiled, pampered and afraid to move out of their comfort zone....Rangel is warning them that if this war continues they will be drafted....there will be no other choice...we cannot continue to to redeploy our current troops....

Rangel is also giving the WH another warning...if the WH thought the populace was pissed off in the recent elections.....the populace will shut down the government...the populace will end this war one way or another..

[SammyWinstonJack]

18. The rich will always find a way out of being drafted as they always have.

This draft speak is bullshit! It won't stop wars and the poor will have to fight while the rich stand on the sidelines and cheer.

[hedgehog]

21. Spoiled, pampered and afraid to move out of their comfort zone?

I don't know about the kids where you live, but kids around here are worried about paying for school and/or finding a job.

[JerseygirlCT]

15. I'm with you. nt

[tinfoilinfor2005]

17. Too much a double edged sword.

It would definitely get the citizens riled up to end the war, but since the wheels grind so slowly, it could end up in the deaths of thousands of more kids. I pray that we can find a way out without this risk.

[hsher]

19. Do you support a draft? "You bet your life... you can depend on that."

"I don't see how anyone can support the war, and not support the draft. I think to do so is hypocritical." - Rep. Charlie Rangel, (D) NY, Incoming Chairman, Ways and Means Committee

We're in trouble.

[tomp]

20. rangel is demonstrating the bipartisan nature...

...of u.s. imperialist foreign policy. goddamned lying snake oil selling son of a bitch. he's taking the public for idiots and too many of you are proving him right.

NO DRAFT, NO WAY, NO HOW!

[hedgehog]

22. No draft, no war.

Trim the military back to pre-WWII size and set it up to move fast to expand if needed. Put som e money into international police investigations. Turn the Pentegon into a condo.

[Union Thug]

25. So long as the military is the only option for working class kids

to guarantee education, benefits and pensions, then there will be war. Provide universal education through masters and PhD levels and watch how few people enter the military.

I think all of us are willing to fight under certain circumstances, and an educated populace is much better able to assess when such things are necessary. However, this is exactly what the system and its architects do NOT want.

[Mythsaje]

30. This is a good point...

And a great argument for supporting universal education, not a stinking draft.

[hedgehog]

31. I agree with your first statement.

The solution is not a universal draft. The solution is to make sure all kids have options other than the military!

[PADemD]

27. If the Democrats institute a draft, they can kiss the 2008

Presidency goodbye.

[The Gunslinger]

34. and my vote for them. nt

[orleans]

40. i agree. and i don't want to lose in 08 n/t

[H2O Man]

29. Right.

Having a draft will only cause more middle class young people to serve in the insane wars of the Bush & Co. Dynasty. It is foolish to imagine that it could result in the wealthy kids serving in combat at a higher rate than they do.

[Mythsaje]

32. God only knows the rich

wouldn't come up with a way to send their children to live overseas, even if they had to expatriate them, rather than lose them in the next war of aggression.

People with money will ALWAYS have a back door option if they want to use it.

[Puregonzo1188]

33. But just think there won't be a shortage of troops

to stand in our war of invading Iran! Horay! :sarcasm:

[The Gunslinger]

35. I got a better idea.

How about all of those who are all for this draft go volenteer to join the military right now, or send your kids. The idea that a draft will stop wars is only an opinion. I'm not willing to send my kids to prove it wrong or right. Also it always is a war for "Freedom". A draft is anything but Freedom.

[cooolandrew]

36. It's actually to stop war, no republican would rah rah war with draft on the books

[Mythsaje]

39. Like someone pointed out on another thread...

If there'd have been a draft on 9/11, we'd be in Iran right now too.

Bet your life.

Or someone else's.