Posted on 10/05/2004 8:29:03 PM PDT by nypokerface
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) did something a little unusual yesterday. First he protested when Republican leadership scheduled his own bill for a vote.
Then he sent out a letter encouraging his Democratic colleagues to vote against it.
Rangel’s bill, which the leadership had placed on the suspension calendar, would create a national-service draft under which all 18- to 26-year-olds would serve in the military or perform two years of national service as determined by the president. Rangel has been advocating a draft for several years, but he argued yesterday that the bill was too important for the suspension calendar, “which is reserved for non-controversial items,” he said in a statement.
Bills on the suspension calendar cannot be amended on the floor and require two-thirds of the House to clear the chamber.
Rangel accused Republicans of using his bill to assuage fears that President Bush had plans to reinstate the draft, stating, “The Republican leadership decision to place the draft legislation on the suspension Calendar is a political maneuver to kill rumors of the President’s intention to reinstate the draft after the November election.”
He went on to urge Democrats running for reelection to vote no.
“I am voting no, because my bill deserves serious consideration,” his statement continued.
“It should be subject to hearings and to expert testimony. The administration should come and tell us about our manpower needs, about recruitment and retention, about the extent to which out troops are overextended. And they should give us their views about shared sacrifice. If they did all of those things in a serious way, they would have to admit that my bill is an option.”
Democrats said Republican leaders gave them no notice that the Rangel bill was headed to the floor.
bwahahahahaha
sorry, charlie.
Eat another sandpaper donut.
Is that saying about being "hoisted by your own petard" appropriate here?
WOW...Ole Charlie is such an idiot.
*snort!*
(I love it when a plan comes together!)
"I actually voted for my own draft bill.... before I voted against it."
big time ping
“The Republican leadership decision to place the draft legislation on the suspension Calendar is a political maneuver to kill rumors of the President’s intention to reinstate the draft after the November election.”
DUH!!!! The Dems were using this as a political maneuver to put fear into every parent and young adult. How dare he expect the Republicans to sit back and let the Dems get away with spreading this horrible rumor. Major backfire on this one. He looks like a fool. Sorry. He is a fool.
Translation: Rangel wants his bill out there, hanging, never actually voted upon. What a friggin' joke.
What is the H 'bill number'.
She was shocked and did not believe all of the bills sponsors were democrats.
I made a bet with her that I would vote for John Kerry, if she could find one republican who would vote for it and she would have to vote for Bush, if I was right.
I'm not counting on her to keep her word, she is a democrat after all.
Another "brilliant" rat idea bites the dust.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.