Gee, it's so scary that Democrats will be in the majority. I believe the Democratic Congressman already made this suggestion when there was a Republican Congress. Why should he change his tune when Congress becomes a Democrat majority?

Rangel, a veteran of the Korean War who has unsuccessfully sponsored legislation on conscription in the past, said he will propose the measure early next year.

I would be glad to see a draft--a professional army is bad for democracy. Admittedly, I'm of an age unlikely to be drafted, but I would be willing to serve my country were I selected.

Amendment 13 - Slavery Abolished
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.

Notice the "nor involuntary servitude" in the first line! I think this statement says it all.

Adrift in the Sea of Humility

 If this country had a legitimate attack on our soil and not some dreamed up national crisis to drag us into an unwarranted war (Sorry, personal assumption there), we would have all the volunteers we would ever need.

 

---

Right after 9/11 volunteerism in the armed forces went up by quite a lot, I believe. Then it began dropping after we went into Iraq. I believe that the citizens of the United States know the difference between a legitimate cause for armed conflict and an illegitimate one and they don't volunteer so readily to go fight some empire-building conflict based on made-up evidence.

 

 

"You can't fix stupid..." ~ Ron White"

First of all, this measure won't pass, so we're only speaking hypotheticals here. But 90% of the officer corps is Republican, and our armed forces have effectively turned into the military wing of the Republican Party. I.e., it's a mercenary corps being funded by tax dollars, and that's precisely the reason why the Pentagon would choose to lose another war than start conscripting people skeptical of the military's ability to solve all our problems.

As a vet and a poor man, I would very much like to see a no deferment draft.  OTOH, I simply do not trust the current (mis)administration in D.C. and providing them more cannon fodder seems foolhardy at best. 

From a completely pragmatic standpoint one major issue is the ramp up time required to significantly increase our force of trained military personel.  One solution might be to have a modified reserve force that has completed basic, intermediate training and skills maintenance but, has much more restrictive restraints on their activation and use.  But really, this bit of mental masturbation is just to say that the conversation might reasonably be had.

Clearly there are larger issues presented here.  Can we have an effective and real democracy without trust in the electoral process?  Can we have real personal involvement in our democracy without trust in the process and it's human outcome?  If we cannot or do not trust our leadership, will we not do everything to discourage our loved ones from participating in the voluntary military?

As a general rule, republicans are goal oriented individuals.  Their first focus is on winning and they figure to deal with anything else that comes up after they win.  Democrats/liberals are more process oriented and seek to reach solutions/positions that anticipates and addresses problems.  Unfortunately, what the republicans have to deal with is a significant percentage of the population that does not trust the motives, speech, or actions of the leader of their party and ostensibly, our nation and the free world.  This simply isn't a situation likely to be effectively addressed by the GOP winning something.  The calls for a draft and a thousand other things are an attempt to get the attention of the GOP on this issue.  Failure is an ugly thing to contemplate.

CAFKIA 

----------------------------------------------------------- 

It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.
  - William G. McAdoo

Seriously, people, read this book.

Andrew Bacevich, who spent more than 20 years in the service, provides a fascinating background on the rationales behind - and resulting consequences of -  the All-Volunteer Force as well as the Total Force policy, which requires the call-up of reserves before battle.

Even worse than the disproportionate burden the AVF places on certain segments of society, he says, is that the disconnect with soldiering has given most Americans a comic-book view on the military, it's capabilities, and foreign affairs in general.

...case in point.  

even if there is NEVER a need to "call up" with the draft, it provides a reality check beyond compare. Is everyone still to just "go shopping" to save our country since 911?

WhereTF is the sense of responsibility with the citizens of our country for waging a war with this schlock and pall?

The sweep should be for all ages to serve the country in different roles, based on ability. (AND deploy the commander-in-chief yesterday!!)

Points to all that see the economics of who fights our wars.

carry on.

(and thanks to whoever wrapped the link... wondered what was going on in this thread.)

we're living in a pathocracy!!