National Service Poll... for what it is worth

[HCE SuiGeneris]

Very curious to see how many of us democrats, that have markedly different positions on this subject, have actually served in the military (or Peace Corps type of organization) for at least 2 years. Please, when considering your answer, let's imagine that we have a Clinton or Carter President and an elected house and senate that we had some faith in its doing its job. Let's put the service length at two year minimum with a window to begin service from 18 - 26. Oh, and just for sh**'s and giggles, the country would not be at war.

Very interesting results so far: 42%:42% @ 3:47 MST

[HCE SuiGeneris]

1. Ok, I'll go first

[Vincardog]

27. The point needs to be made. National Service is not necessarily Military.

There must be and are other ways to serve.

[yewberry]

2. You'd better go with a two-year maximum.

Not constitutional otherwise, is it?

(I could be wrong, though. It's sort of a hobby of mine.)

[HCE SuiGeneris]

3. two year stint maximum required nt

[Vincardog]

5. two-year maximum MANDATORY. Lifetime possible voluntary

[HCE SuiGeneris]

12. agreed

[cobaindrain]

4. hell no

I don't want any mandatory service to interfere in my life, the govt has no right to tell me what to do and when.

[Vincardog]

6. You got something about contributing to the common good?

[cobaindrain]

7. yea, don't force me or I'm living elswhere

[MGD]

9. Where will you go?

[cobaindrain]

14. someplace where I can be free

and yes, Norway is quite nice.

Canada for sure

[MGD]

15. Norway has compulsory national service.

[cobaindrain]

16. so I'll vacation there

and live in canada

[MGD]

17. You must have extensive resources. Canada doesn't offer sanctuary to draft dodgers anymore BTW.

I'd probably shoot for Jamaica or Amsterdam myself. I'm thinking about jamaica draft or no actually. I have already served 8 years in the Army but I'm sure they can draft me if it came to it. I'm sure I would be high on their list actually. If it were only two years, I wouldn't cry about it. I actually enjoyed many aspects of my Army service. There were quite a few pricks that I didn't like though which is why I left. Then I found out there are pricks in the civilian world too. :shrug:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

13. I hear Norway is really nice.

:bounce: :bounce: :rofl: :bounce: :bounce:

[lcordero2]

11. !!!!!!!!!!!!

There is no common good when people's INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES are being trashed.

[lcordero2]

8. I have served

And I would have refused to babysit somebody who DOES NOT want to be there.

[MGD]

10. They have MPs for that sort of thing.

[TahitiNut]

19. Yep. Stockades, too.

I'd pay to watch someone refuse to "babysit" the inductees. :popcorn:

(I truly wonder how someone who's "served" thinks they'd refuse. Awesome.)

[Selatius]

18. No, and I'll tell you why

The only way I would support mandatory national service if a) the current military structure is abolished in favor of a decentralized system along the lines of the Swiss Militia System and b) a constitutional convention is called on the topic of instituting proportional representation in the House to break the two-party stranglehold on power, the abolition of the Electoral College, and the institution of public financing of all federal congressional races.

I'll be cursed if I become cannon fodder for a bunch of Wall Street guys who want another war to boost their bottom line.

If these reforms are in place, I wouldn't mind doing national service. I do under the current structure of the federal government.

[TahitiNut]

20. You'd get (a) under a reasonable National Guard system.

I was appalled at how the National Guard was virtually exempted during the Viet Nam Era, and am appalled at how it's being abused now. Both extremes are abominable, imho.

[MGD]

21. Finally, someone who agrees with me about proportional representation.

this simple plurality/single majority system is total crap as is the electoral college as is the state by state vote for a chief executive. Viva la revolucion.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

25. I absolutely agree...

with every point you have stated Selatius. Thank you for posting this.

[EdwardM]

22. No Thanks, the government does not own me.

And I don't care about any "common will" arguments. It is in the common will for everyone to be as free as possible. If this country goes to hell, then so be it, but at least keep our freedom.

[LoneDriver]

23. No

Is this unclear? What part, those who favor slavery, don't you get? No man owns me and no state either.

Amendment XIII

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.

Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

And I served as a conscript, in case you are interested.

[LWolf]

24. This could very well be a permanent deal breaker with me.

I quit considering any possibility of a republican vote during Watergate. I wasn't old enough to vote yet, but I made a conscious choice to never vote Republican. Which left me with Democrats, independents, or 3rd party members to vote for. Even though I wasn't a Democrat, I liked Democrats and when I reached voting age, most of my votes went to them. I even, after 2.5 decades of independence, became a democrat at the turn of the century.

This could be a deal breaker, though. If the Democratic Party decides that mandated service is a good idea, I will dump them faster than I can turn my back and walk away. That day will be the end of any opportunity for a Democrat to earn my vote.

I don't, and won't, serve a government. I do serve people; my choice, my time, my discretion, anonymously when possible, and it's nobody else's business.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

26. I think disseminating this very small sample size

is still valuable. The majority are for what I consider "putting your money where your mouth is" in participating in democracy and its future. To me this is very encouraging. I know my phrasing will draw the ire of many here, but again this is more about discussing who holds responsibility for our future and less about invoking a "draft now" policy.