Key Democrat Wants to Reinstate Draft

[Buxom Wench]

Key Democrat Wants to Reinstate Draft

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireS...C-RSSFeeds0312

House Democrat Will Seek to Reinstate Draft, Saying It Will Deter Officials From Starting Wars
By JOHN HEILPRIN
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Americans would have to sign up for a new military draft after turning 18 under a bill the incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee says he will introduce next year.

Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., said Sunday he sees his idea as a way to deter politicians from launching wars.

"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way," Rangel said.

Rangel, a veteran of the Korean War who has unsuccessfully sponsored legislation on conscription in the past, has said the all-volunteer military disproportionately puts the burden of war on minorities and lower-income families.

Rangel said he will propose a measure early next year. While he said he is serious about the proposal, there is little evident support among the public or lawmakers for it.

In 2003, Rangel proposed a measure covering people age 18 to 26. It was defeated 402-2 the following year. This year, he offered a plan to mandate military service for men and women between age 18 and 42; it went nowhere in the Republican-led Congress.

Democrats will control the House and Senate come January because of their victories in the Nov. 7 election.

At a time when some lawmakers are urging the military to send more troops to Iraq, "I don't see how anyone can support the war and not support the draft," said Rangel, who also proposed a draft in January 2003, before the U.S. invasion of Iraq. "I think to do so is hypocritical."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Standby Reserve, said he agreed that the U.S. does not have enough people in the military.

"I think we can do this with an all-voluntary service, all-voluntary Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy. And if we can't, then we'll look for some other option," said Graham, who is assigned as a reserve judge to the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.

Rangel, the next chairman of the House tax-writing committee, said he worried the military was being strained by its overseas commitments.

"If we're going to challenge Iran and challenge North Korea and then, as some people have asked, to send more troops to Iraq, we can't do that without a draft," Rangel said.

He said having a draft would not necessarily mean everyone called to duty would have to serve. Instead, "young people (would) commit themselves to a couple of years in service to this great republic, whether it's our seaports, our airports, in schools, in hospitals," with a promise of educational benefits at the end of service.

Graham said he believes the all-voluntary military "represents the country pretty well in terms of ethnic makeup, economic background."

Repeated polls have shown that about seven in 10 Americans oppose reinstatement of the draft and officials say they do not expect to restart conscription.

Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told Congress in June 2005 that "there isn't a chance in the world that the draft will be brought back."

Yet the prospect of the long global fight against terrorism and the continuing U.S. commitment to stabilizing Iraq have kept the idea in the public's mind.

The military drafted conscripts during the Civil War, both world wars and between 1948 and 1973. An agency independent of the Defense Department, the Selective Service System, keeps an updated registry of men age 18-25 now about 16 million from which to supply untrained draftees that would supplement the professional all-volunteer armed forces.

Rangel and Graham appeared on "Face the Nation" on CBS.

[Cyranno DeBoberac]

Rangel isn't trying to bring back the draft, he's trying to make a point about the war.

It's unfortunate that he's resorting to such theatrics; legislative tools shouldn't be instruments of rhetoric.

And it certainly doesn't need to be the first thing the new Democratic majority needs to do right out of the gate.

[surlywench]

legislative tools shouldn't be instruments of rhetoric.

BWAHA - oh...you were serious....sorry.....

[Selena]

And it certainly doesn't need to be the first thing the new Democratic majority needs to do right out of the gate.

Yeah, that's my take on this, too. Timing is everything.

[Buxom Wench]

Yeah, that's my take on this, too. Timing is everything.

No offense meant to anyone but, since when have ANY politicians been good with timing?

[Selena]

No offense meant to anyone but, since when have ANY politicians been good with timing?

Hahaaa-- Well, you're right-- I'll give ya that one, Bux!

[Bean]

So basically what this idiot is saying that the life of a draftee is more important that the life of a volunteer. What an asshat................

[Phoenix McHeit]

So basically what this idiot is saying that the life of a draftee is more important that the life of a volunteer. What an asshat................

Ummm... huh? Where'd you get that?

[Isabelle Warwicke]

Ummm... huh? Where'd you get that?

I think people react more strongly to the idea of draftee's giving their lives than that of those who volunteered to step into harm's way. I see where Cuse would find that in the agenda.

"members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way" God Forbid...but aren't they already when they enlist?

What an asshat...

[Bean]

The first line of the article says that reinstating the draft would deter officials from starting wars. Which my mind translated to a draftee is more important than a volunteer.