Bringing Back The Draft
Charlie Rangel is once again seeking a reinstatement of the draft. Of course there are caviats, you could chose to work at airports, seaports, schools, or some other form of service to the country.
The Democratic Congressman from New York has been trying to get a draft brought back for the last couple of years, but has been stymied by the GOP controlled Congress.
Personally, I think congressional Republicans would be ill served to try and block such legislation. In fact, they should work hard to get it to the floor of both houses of Congress and see how the vote falls out.
While Rangel complains about the make up of the all volunteer military, the truth is the public, by better than a two to one majority, doesn't want a draft. The active military doesn't want one, either. But that's okay, Charlie, we know that you know better than the commanders.
The truth is, his proposal has no better chance of passing an up or down vote with Democrats in power than it did with Republicans running Congress. There are too many folks on his side of the aisle that don't want to have such a vote hanging around their neck.
One thing he hasn't mentioned on the talk show circuit is how to pay for all of these folks that would be drafted into public service. Obviously they won't be working for free, which means that there would be a need for a greatly expanded budget for the military, airport and seaport security, and the other programs the draftees would be working for.
Another hitch in his plan, which isn't very clear, is what type of deferments would be allowed. You can be that as much as he complains about the make up of the military that the upper crust he complains isn't represented won't be writing many checks to campaign coffers if there isn't an out for Johnny or Jane.
Technorati Tags: Draft, Rangel, Democrats, Congress, Military, Conscription
The Democratic Congressman from New York has been trying to get a draft brought back for the last couple of years, but has been stymied by the GOP controlled Congress.
Personally, I think congressional Republicans would be ill served to try and block such legislation. In fact, they should work hard to get it to the floor of both houses of Congress and see how the vote falls out.
While Rangel complains about the make up of the all volunteer military, the truth is the public, by better than a two to one majority, doesn't want a draft. The active military doesn't want one, either. But that's okay, Charlie, we know that you know better than the commanders.
The truth is, his proposal has no better chance of passing an up or down vote with Democrats in power than it did with Republicans running Congress. There are too many folks on his side of the aisle that don't want to have such a vote hanging around their neck.
One thing he hasn't mentioned on the talk show circuit is how to pay for all of these folks that would be drafted into public service. Obviously they won't be working for free, which means that there would be a need for a greatly expanded budget for the military, airport and seaport security, and the other programs the draftees would be working for.
Another hitch in his plan, which isn't very clear, is what type of deferments would be allowed. You can be that as much as he complains about the make up of the military that the upper crust he complains isn't represented won't be writing many checks to campaign coffers if there isn't an out for Johnny or Jane.
Technorati Tags: Draft, Rangel, Democrats, Congress, Military, Conscription
posted by Crazy Politico at 8:17 PM
3Comments:
The way they would pay for it is by reducing military pay. Currently they have to be competitive. No need to pay a decent wage if the service is compulsory. Also, it is pretty ironic that the left says President Bush doesn't listen to the military because a couple retired generals have different opinions about the conduct of the war, but Charlie can ignore the opinion of virtually all senior military folks (officer and enlisted) who say a draft is a crappy idea and he doesn't get called on it.
Your last paragraph really addresses why the draft doesn't solve the problem he says it will. The well to do will still be able to get a doctor to certify their child (Howard Dean) has a bad back or other disqualifying condition.
Whatever his reasoning is, he seems to miss the whole point of the military. An unwilling army is an incapable army.
Bill, evidently his own party is calling him on it. Fox and CNN were both talking about how Democrats higher up than him don't want to see his bill hit the floor of the House or Senate.
Shoprat, you are correct. Very few conscripted military's perform well. Ours did in Korea and WWII, but they were willing to be drafted during those conflicts. Early in Viet Nam, before the politicians decided to try and run the war (always a bad idea) the drafted military did well, but again, they thought they had a decent mission. By the time Congress screwed it up they didn't perform well because they had no clue what they were going to do next.
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