I hate to rain on their parade, but I think Kerry already has the "young and cowardly" vote locked up, so I don't know what good this flier is going to do.
Posted on 09/21/2004 3:40:42 PM PDT by tomnbeverly
From YubaNet.com
Columns Howard Dean | Hidden Agenda: A National Draft in the Future? Author: Howard Dean Published on Sep 20, 2004, 07:08
A key issue for young Americans and their families to consider as they prepare to cast their votes in the upcoming presidential election is the real likelihood of a military draft being reinstated if President Bush is re-elected. President Bush should tell us now whether he supports a military draft.
Here is the evidence that makes a draft likely:
The U.S. Army has acknowledged that they are stretched thin and that finding new recruits is challenging. They recently placed 300 new recruiters in the field. Bonuses for new recruits to the Army have risen by 67 percent to a maximum of $10,000 and $15,000 for hard-to-fill specialties.
The extended tours of duty have made service less attractive for both the regular armed forces, and particularly for the National Guard and Reserves. To meet this year's quota for enlistees, the Army has sped up the induction of "delayed entry" recruits, meaning they are already borrowing from next year's quotas in order to meet this year's numbers.
Reservists are now being called away for longer periods. In 2003, President Bush dramatically extended the length of time for the Guard and Reserves deployment in Iraq. Extended tours of up to a year have become common.
In a further sign of a lack of adequate staffing, the armed forces are now in the process of calling up members of the Individual Ready Reserves. These are often older reservists usually waiting retirement. They are typically in their mid-to-late forties, and have not been on active duty and have not trained for some time. Traditionally, they are only supposed to be called up during a time of national emergency. In 2001, President Bush authorized their call up but never rescinded this order even after he declared "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq in May of 2003.
The Armed Forces are already chronically understaffed. In 2003, General Eric Shinseki testified before Congress that an additional 50,000 troops would be needed beyond what the Bush administration said would be necessary to stabilize Iraq after the invasion. The President ignored him. We do not have enough troops in Afghanistan to be able to stabilize the country, as shown by the continual putting off of elections well past their announced date. In an effort to free up yet more troops in the coming years, we are moving troops away from the Demilitarized Zone in Korea and reducing the number of troops on the Korean Peninsula at a time when North Korea poses more of a danger to the U.S. - not less. Because of the President's military adventurism, our Armed Forces are under enormous pressure. The only place to go for more troops is a draft.
Selective service boards have already been notified that 20-year-olds and medical personnel will be called up first.
President Bush will be forced to decide whether we can continue the current course in Iraq, which will clearly require the reinstatement of the draft. The Pentagon has objected to a draft but, the President has ignored other Pentagon recommendations in the past.
American families and young people are owed an explanation about the President's plans. Will the President withdraw from some of our military commitments or will he reinstate the draft? We need to know that before we vote, not afterwards.
Howard Dean, former governor of Vermont, is the founder of Democracy for America, a grassroots organization that supports socially progressive and fiscally responsible political candidates. Email Howard Dean at howarddean@democracyforamerica.com
© Copyright 2004 by YubaNet.com Send your letters to the editor to news@yubanet.com
you'd have to be a real idiot dem to believe that bringing back the draft is a winner for the republicans. If they want waste air time with this have at it. The best marketing the RNC has had this year has all been by dems own words.
I hate to rain on their parade, but I think Kerry already has the "young and cowardly" vote locked up, so I don't know what good this flier is going to do.
I'm sure he can alarm some know-nothing young people, but they weren't going to be Bush voters anyway.
"President Bush authorized their call up but never rescinded this order even after he declared "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq in May of 2003."
This is a lie. Bush declared the end of major combat operations in May of 2003. There was a banner hung on the aircraft carrier that read, "Mission Accomplished" and indeed, the aircraft carrier had accomplished its mission.
Exactly. A Kerry presidency would insure the reinstatement of the draft. A classic political paradox. To the young people, and their parents that I talk to, who want to vote for Ferry on the particular issue of the draft, I assure them that if they vote for Kerry, and he wins, there will indeed, have to be a draft.
Leave it to the liberals to use potential military service as a scare tactic. It won't work for anyone other than young liberals who don't plan on serving their country anyway. Conservative young voters probably don't view serving their country as a negative or frightening thing.
Lookee here: Neville's talking points. LOL
Standard summary #4F:
Yes there are draft proposals, almost all Democrat.
They have NOTHING to do with military manpower requirements.
As intended-to-fail proposals, they are straw men set up
so that Kerry+Edwards can promise to oppose them (even
though they probably support them). Bush already opposes
them, but don't expect the legacy media to tell you this.
As serious proposals, they have everything to do with
Universal National Service - stealing two years from
every life, then 3, then 4, and why stop there ...
And National Service has nothing to do with service.
It has everything to do with indoctrination of the slaves.
Which means that if the "progressives" ever get control
again, kiss your liberty goodbye.
Worse. More like "Lord Haw Haw's".
God bless our troops wherever they may be.
The traitor John Kerry wins on 11/02/04. After taking office on 01/20/05 he withdraws the troops from Afghanistan and Iraq. On 09/11/06 Islamic terrorists explode dirty bombs in three American cities, Denver, Seattle, and Phoenix.
If any of your lib friends come up to you and tell you that the draft might come back, here's what you do:
1. Feign becoming upset.
2. State "I would never vote for ANYONE in a political party that would bring back the draft!"
3. Engage them in a conversation in the topic - get them riled up.
4. Get them to agree that bringing back the draft is a bad idea and that whatever party is sponsoring it should not be running the Government.
5. After they agree, say "We need to do some research, to see what individuals are sponsoring legislation to bring back the draft - and vote everyone in that party out of office!"
6. Walk over to the computer and go to the House of Representatives website http://www.house.gov and look up HR 163 "Reinstate Draft Bill" and while you're doing it with your liberal friend, mumble under your breath "I can't believe these dirty politicians want to bring back the draft - we need to get rid of those guys who are sponsoring it".
7. Act VERY surprised when you look up the sponsor of the bill. "Oh my gosh... it's not a Republican, it's Charlie Rangel, a Democrat!"
8. Look up the co-sponsors, "Oh my gosh... they're ALL Democrats - all 14 of them!!".
9. Say, "Well, let's see what the Senate has to say on this". Go to the Senate website http://www.senate.gov and look up S89 "Reinstate Draft Bill".
10. Say, "We need to vote these guys out too!" Act surprised when you find the sponsor of the bill is Fritz Hollings - a Democrat!
11. Look at your lib friend and say, "We agreed, we need to vote out the party that is trying to bring back the draft - so we have to vote out all the Democrats".
Wow nailed them, and the looks on their faces would be priceless.
Even if there were some sort of military shortage, you would think there would be a big patriotic promotion via advertising, rallies, etc. before a draft would even be considered. Better to have people who want to help out, rather than people who don't.
Sometimes I've heard this kind of thing from people who may not be aware that there could be some chances to serve again in uniform. In my state (Indiana) we have a uniformed state defense force that does help free up Army and Army National Guard soldiers at state bases like Camp Atterbury. And the entrance requirements are very limited (no felony conviction, "decent" health -- prior military service is customary but not required).
Any freeper or lurker can check to see if their state has this kind of organization: State Guard Association.
I don't know much about the Coast Guard Auxiliary, but I think they might also offer ways to free up active duty military personnel for other duties.
God bless our troops wherever they may be.
well done. just pulled your two cents worth off off the printer.
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