Posted on 06/03/2004 11:32:35 AM PDT by jmstein7
Republicans introduce bill to repeal Selective Service System, permanently end draft.
Many of the action items [on Congress.Org's SoapBox] seem to revolve around the rumored return of "the draft", apparently at the behest of a secret Bush administration effort, or the "warhawks", as another soapbox poster put it.
In truth, the pair of Universal National Service Act bills, S.89 and H.R.163, have been introduced and sponsored by liberal Democrats. S.89 is sponsored by Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-SC), while the companion H.R.163 was introduced by Congressional Black Caucus cofounder and Harlem representative Charlie Rangel (D-NY), along with 14 other Democrats that read like a Who's Who of the Left in Congress:
D Rep Abercrombie, Neil - 1/7/2003 [HI-1] D Rep Brown, Corrine - 1/28/2003 [FL-3] D Rep Christensen, Donna M. - 5/19/2004 [VI] D Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy - 1/28/2003 [MO-1] D Rep Conyers, John, Jr. - 1/7/2003 [MI-14] D Rep Cummings, Elijah E. - 1/28/2003 [MD-7] D Rep Hastings, Alcee L. - 1/28/2003 [FL-23] D Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila - 1/28/2003 [TX-18] D Rep Lewis, John - 1/7/2003 [GA-5] D Rep McDermott, Jim - 1/7/2003 [WA-7] D Rep Moran, James P. - 1/28/2003 [VA-8] D Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes - 1/28/2003 [DC] D Rep Stark, Fortney Pete - 1/7/2003 [CA-13] D Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. - 1/28/2003 [NY-12]
The details of these bills are here:
H.R.163 | Text | Cosponsors
S.89 | Text
By contrast, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) has introduced a bill, H.R.487, to repeal the Military Selective Service Act, permanently ending the draft. Cosponsors include two other Republicans and five Democrats.
Details:
H.R.487 | Text | Cosponsors
D Rep Boucher, Rick - 2/12/2003 [VA-9] D Rep DeFazio, Peter A. - 1/29/2003 [OR-4] R Rep Foley, Mark - 3/6/2003 [FL-16] D Rep Frank, Barney - 1/29/2003 [MA-4] D Rep Nadler, Jerrold - 2/7/2003 [NY-8] D Rep Owens, Major R. - 2/11/2003 [NY-11] R Rep Rohrabacher, Dana - 6/23/2003 [CA-46]
I'm really surprised reading through all of the other soapbox posts and letters that, from the tone of the messages, everyone seems to assume it's Bush or the "neo-cons" behind some kind of effort to reinstate "the draft", when in reality it's all liberal Democrats that have introduced and sponsored the bills, while almost all Republicans OPPOSE forced service, whether it be civil or military.
This is indeed an important issue, but when writing your representatives in Congress and/or the President, keep in mind who is actually supporting these bills. Hint: it's not Bush and the "warhawks"...
I hope this information is found useful.
Contact: das@doit.wisc.edu
Yes, but they want the protests to come from within also.
They are the Fifth Column of the Islamics.
My point was that the Democrats are the ones submitting the bills but the media is pointing the finger at Bush, saying he wants to reinstate the draft, when it is clearly not true.
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