The Draft to be reinstated?

Democrats Push Draft in Congress
President Bush Opposes Draft And Republicans Seek Certain Defeat Of Bill

Just Who is Proposing a Draft?

Democrat Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY) Introduced The "Universal National Service Act Of 2003" To Reinstate Military Draft. "A BILL To provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes." (H.R. 163, Introduced 1/7/03 By Rep. Charles Rangel)

Today, House Of Representatives Will Vote On Rangel's Proposal, Which House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) Vows Will Receive "Very Little Congressional Support." "Later today, the House of Representatives will debate and vote on H.R. 163, the Universal National Service Act - commonly known as the Reinstate the Draft Bill. There is very little Congressional support for reinstating the draft." (House Armed Services Committee, "House To Vote On And Reject Military Draft Bill," Press Release, 10/5/04)
Democrat Senator Ernest Hollings (D-SC) Has Introduced Identical Military Draft Legislation. "A BILL To provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes." (S. 89, Introduced 1/7/03 By Sen. Ernest Hollings)

Kerry and Edwards Claim It's Republicans Who Want Draft, But Kerry Is Open to Draft

Kerry Raised Possibility Draft Is Returning Under Bush. "Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, citing the war in Iraq and other trouble spots in the world, raised the possibility Wednesday that a military draft could be reinstated if voters re-elect President Bush. ... Answering a question about the draft that had been posed at a forum with voters, Kerry said: 'If George Bush were to be re-elected, given the way he has gone about this war and given his avoidance of responsibility in North Korea and Iran and other places, is it possible? I can't tell you.'" (Mary Dalrymple, "Kerry Raises Possibility That Military Draft Could Return If Bush Is Re-Elected," The Associated Press, 9/22/04)

Edwards Hinted Draft Would Return Under President Bush. "Edwards drew his biggest applause from the audience, which was heavy on union members and laid-off workers, when he responded to a question from a woman who said that her 23-year-old son recently graduated from college, and that she is worried about a draft being instituted for the war in Iraq. 'There will be no draft when John Kerry is president,' Edwards said, to applause and a standing ovation." (Jim VandeHei, "Kerry Accuses Bush Of Dishonesty On Iraq," The Washington Post, 9/16/04)

Yet Kerry Told Reporter That If Large Mobilization Is Needed, Draft Is "Only Fair Way To Do It." REPORTER: "Senator, some in your party have called for reinstating the draft. Do you think that is a good idea?" KERRY: "Not at this moment. I don't. If we had a need for a general mobilization at some time in the future, then I think that's the only fair way to do it." (WLVI's "Keller At Large," Interview Taped 12/2/03, Aired 9/26/04)

Administration Has Been Clear: President Bush Opposes Draft

Secretary Rumsfeld Called Allegations "Absolute Nonsense." "Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld heatedly denied yesterday that the military plans to bring back the draft and boost reserves and National Guard callups after the November election. 'That is absolute nonsense,' Rumsfeld told the Senate Armed Services Committee. 'It's absolutely false that anyone in this administration is considering reinstituting the draft.'" (Richard Sisk, "No Draft, No Extra Troops - Rummy," [New York] Daily News, 9/24/04)

Vice President Cheney Said Rumors Were "Hogwash." "And the notion that somebody's peddling out there that there is a secret plan to reinstitute the draft, hogwash, not true." (NBC's "Nightly News," 9/29/04)

President Bush: "We Don't Need The Draft." "No, we're not going - we don't need the draft. Look, the all-volunteer Army is working. ... I know Senator McCain and I agree on this issue for certain, the all-volunteer Army works." (President George W. Bush, Remarks At Okaloosa-Walton College, Niceville, FL, 8/10/04)

Link?

Nos.

'Twas in an email. No link needed. I pasted the entire text here.

If this were to go through, I might be eligible for that Canadian free iPod promotion. ;)

Oh, it's dead already: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=6422347

LMAO

...the House killed the bill 402-2

Thats good to hear, I would have to say that if they reinstated the draft i would be gone in a flash, theres no way in hell im going to get my ass shot at... espeically against my will. They wouldnt want me with a gun... lol.

That's exactly why the draft is a bad idea. Right now, the people that are serving are the people that wanted to serve. Whether or not they anticipated going to war or not, they did sign up for it. If you have a draft, all you have is a larger group of people who don't want to be there, and how effective of a soldier are they going to be?

Well I would be pretty effective, mostly because I would be pissed off, and kill anything/anyone that stands in the way of me getting back home lol....

people that are there want to serve, what like .1 percent of them maybe, most of them got stuck and we all know these, poor guys and girls. All tehy wanted was an education, some money for school, a little dirrection in life maybe see the world a little, I cant belive anyone would think they really wanted to go kill people so far from home, and all for a lie? please if they had a choice they all be here at home were they belong.

You are absolutely wrong with your assumed stats. Do you know one single person serving right now? I know at least 5 guys in a the National Guard serving in Afghanistan, and 1 guy in the Air Force serving in Iraq, who I email frequently. 2 of the guys in Afghanistan were home a couple of weekends ago, and both of them love being there, and love serving their country.

For you to assume that nobody wants to be there is a ridiculous statement. I won't deny you that some of them do not want to be there, but they signed up for the military, knowing what the purpose of the military is. You don't sign up for the military with the expectations of simply getting paid to work out all day.

Your assumption that nobody wants to be there is simply ridiculous. Enlistment in the armed forces has been increasing dramatically since the start of the war. Soldiers whose "terms" are up, are re-enlisting. See link: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,FL_numbers_041404,00.html?ESRC=airforce-a.nl

The Guard's goal for first-term re-enlistments , for those with less than six years of service, had been 65 percent this fiscal year but has rocketed to 141 percent

You would be hard pressed to look at those numbers and think that those brave soldiers do not want to fight this war. Again, you are simply making ridiculous assumptions.

Navy re-enlistment rates are at an all time high, with 62.3 percent of first-term sailors signing up for additional service. That compares with a targeted goal of 56 percent. The rate has grown each year since 2000, when 48.2 percent of the first-term sailors re-enlisted.

Those are pretty strong numbers. Those are people that were already serving, and are re-enlisting. Do you get that? Those are people who were in battle, who could go home if they wanted, but are signing up again. I would hardly say that everyone wants to go home.

In the Air Force, new recruit contracts are coming in at 104.2 percent of goal in fiscal year 2003 and reached 102.6 percent of goal through March.

New recruiting is up also. These people are enlisting WITH A WAR GOING ON. That means that they know what they are going to get into, but are still signing up. How can you make the assumptions that you do? Did you even research for a second before you came in here blowing smoke out your ass?