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McDermott Co-Sponsors Legislation to Reinstate the Draft (Democrats, not Republicans!)
United States Congressman Jim McDermott, Democrat - Washington State ^ | January 2003 | Jim McDermott

Posted on 09/22/2004 1:54:46 PM PDT by Enduring Freedom

McDermott Co-Sponsors Legislation to Reinstate the Draft

January 7, 2003 - For Immediate Release

Washington, DC-- Congressman Jim McDermott (Democrat) has announced his co-sponsorship of Congressman Charles Rangel's (Democrat) legislation to reinstate the military draft and other forms of national service. The bill would require Americans between 18 and 26 to serve two years in the military or in civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security.

The bill, HR 163, is intended to ensure that the burden of military service is not borne disproportionately by the poor and numbers of minority groups.

Congressman McDermott commented that "I believe that if those who are pushing for war knew that their children might be required to share the burden of that war, there might be a greater willingness to work toward peace and a diplomatic solution. If, despite our best efforts, we end up in armed conflict, then fairness dictates that the sons and daughters of all classes participate."

" I am pleased to be an original co-sponsor of Congressman Rangel's bill, McDermott continued. " If we need to re-instate the draft in order to make the Administration consider the chilling consequences of war, so be it. I hope this will make them realize how important a diplomatic solution really is. "

In underscoring the need for broad public discussion about committing troops to conflict, McDermott reiterated his view that it is time to consider a period of compulsory service for every young person in our country. "The draft ended thirty years ago, and since then the sense of obligation as the price of citizenship has faded," he said. I agree with Congressman Rangel that we need to find ways to share the sacrifices associated with committing our country to war, whether it's a campaign against illiteracy, poverty, hunger, or terrorism."

Congressman McDermott served as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps at the Long Beach Naval Station in California from 1968 to 1970. Congressman Rangel served in the U.S. Army in Korea from 1948 to 1952.


TOPICS: Announcements; Politics/Elections; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: baghdadjim; democrats; draft; fearmongering; kerry; liars; mcdermott; selectiveservice
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To: Enduring Freedom
This issue has the potential to grow ugly. Perhaps we can kill it now with a 527 ad that stuffs it right back at the 'Rats. On the record, and still on McDermott's website, the fact is that Democrats sponsored legislation, not Republicans.

Absolutely. I've been pleading for ads even before the Democrats started acting up lately accusing Republicans.

All these kids have to hear is the question: "Who would serve under a commander-in-chief John Kerry by choice?"

Oh they would love to blame Republicans for the need but make no mistake, they know that they would need a draft to have an army during a Kerry Presidency.

41 posted on 09/22/2004 2:20:39 PM PDT by Jim_Curtis (Liberals lie at the premise, accept their premise and you can only lose the argument.)
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To: Enduring Freedom; 007Dawg; 11B3; 123easy; 1911A1; 4woodenboats; 7mmMag@LeftCoast; A44MAGNUT; ...
Washington State Ping List

This is all known Washington State FReepers and interested parties as of 9/22/04 - 316 FReepers

If you want on or off this ping list Freepmail me.

42 posted on 09/22/2004 2:21:14 PM PDT by CyberCowboy777 (Veritas vos liberabit)
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To: Spackidagoosh
I sent it to him this morning after it was first on freerepublic. Around 12.

NO excuse for him to ignore it then!! *wink*

43 posted on 09/22/2004 2:26:04 PM PDT by pollywog (Psalm 121;1 I Lift my eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help.)
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To: Enduring Freedom
Hello,

My neighbors (good people, except for their politics) have sons ages 20 and 17. I guarantee that this issue will be brought up to me as yet another reason that Bush is wrong for us. I have taken the liberty of writing down the Bill #, who sponsored it and the web site that I can use to prove my point. Thank God for FR, it really makes it easy to prove the Left wrong!

Glad to be here, MOgirl
44 posted on 09/22/2004 2:26:22 PM PDT by MOgirl (In memory of Walton Wayne Callahan, I love you forever.)
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To: Enduring Freedom

Explore this a little further. Democrats NEED to have a pool of disgruntled draftee GIs to be moaning and griping about their hopeless lot in life, and the inherent unfairness of being drafted while the kids they went to school with, are running around and exploiting all the opportunities they didn't get.

In a shooting engagement, the draftees are pushed out there as the "cannon fodder", the bodies that fall in such numbers the opponents can't even climb over them. This picture of warfare went out with the Korean War, and wasn't even much used in Viet Nam, where the enemy stepped out from between civilians, sniped off a shot, then faded back into the crowd surrounding them. This is almost entirely the type of warfare our soldiers now face.

Drafts will be totally ineffective in filling the ranks of the specialities needed for this new kind of warfare. What is needed is the technical support and the infrastructure to make these special forces operative, not ranks and ranks of obedient automatons.


45 posted on 09/22/2004 2:28:22 PM PDT by alloysteel
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To: Integrityrocks
My college daughter's roommate received an email about this bill from her professor last week. The roommate forwarded the email to all her friends and their parents last Thursday.

The email was intended to scare all the college kids. It claimed that "the administration" has secret plans to "reinstate the draft in June 2005, just after the November elections." Perhaps the professor's plan was to scare the students into voting for Kerry or to at least stay home and not vote for Bush (my daughter's plan). Prof's plan worked. They were scared.

My husband clarified the situation for the girls and also sent an email to Rush and Sean. This episode sounds very much like the "Cheat Factor" Sean mentioned on his show last Friday.

Other parents of college kids BEWARE!

46 posted on 09/22/2004 2:29:29 PM PDT by Prov3456
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To: PeterFinn
I think a lot of young folks would benefit by gaining the perspective of serving their country for two years instead of just getting the liberal indoctrination in the schools.

Is it just me or does this amount to...

"To keep kids from indoctination we'll indoctrinate them."

47 posted on 09/22/2004 2:29:31 PM PDT by freeeee ("Owning" property in the US just means you have one less landlord.)
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To: MOgirl

See my post #46.


48 posted on 09/22/2004 2:33:01 PM PDT by Prov3456
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To: Enduring Freedom

And yet, John kerry and the DNC are saying the draft will be re-instated if Bush is re-elected.

I guess we now know which party will have the draft re-instated if their leader is elected. Today, the democrats have already called for the draft.


49 posted on 09/22/2004 2:33:18 PM PDT by Ursus arctos horribilis ("It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!" Emiliano Zapata 1879-1919)
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To: Enduring Freedom

McDermott represents a liberal mecca in Seattle peopled by druggies, hiv spreaders, and professional protestors, none of whom is eligible for the draft by reason of insanity. He has nothing to lose, at least in his own district.


50 posted on 09/22/2004 2:36:57 PM PDT by Veto! (Kerry wears a tutu, TeRAYza wears the pants)
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To: Prov3456

You know when Susan Estrich was exhorting the Democrats to dirty and mean/ Wellll.........


51 posted on 09/22/2004 2:37:59 PM PDT by Rockpile
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To: ladtx
If, despite our best efforts, we end up in armed conflict, then fairness dictates that the sons and daughters of all classes participate."

Anybody still remember Pat Tilman? He gave up a multi-million dollar a year contract. He also gave up his life.

Now he was a hero. Not that piece of sheite John F'n Kerry

52 posted on 09/22/2004 2:39:40 PM PDT by mountn man
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To: ladtx

The Bushies need to slap that notion down hard and fast. Take a page from the Clintonistas and turn it around. Point to the bill sponsored by Democrats and then spend a couple of days worth of surrogates on TV telling the public "George Bush doesn't want to reinstate the draft - the DEMOCRATS are trying to reinstate the draft RIGHT NOW and here's proof".

I'd love to see that all over the airwaves tomorrow morning. If they let that charge go unrebutted and forcefully so, it'll kill us with the newly dubbed "Security Moms".


53 posted on 09/22/2004 2:40:24 PM PDT by Sharpie (Somebody pass the Krauthammer!)
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To: pieces of time
We need tv and radio ads. Something like "14 Democrats have co-sponsored a bill to reinstate the draft. Republicans in Congress and President Bush have vowed to fight this bill. Why won't John Kerry condemn this bill and promise not to reinstate the draft if he is elected?"

Make them region specific, so in Florida, for example, change it to "14 Democrats including Corrine Brown and Alcie Hastings have co-sponsored a bill to ..."

Maybe end it with - "Call John Kerry and urge him that we don't need a draft. Ask John Kerry to convince his democrat friends who co-sponsored this bill that we don't need a draft."

We should be on the offensive and not the defensive on this issue. If they frame it, which they are doing, it may be too late. Spend a few million on radio and tv ads that is targeted to college students and their parents."

54 posted on 09/22/2004 2:48:08 PM PDT by undeniable logic
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To: Enduring Freedom

I agree... This is Kerry's dilema. The President will not institute a draft because the military has solid end strength. Kerry is despised by a majority of active duty personell and if he did get elected these people will get out at their EAOS or submit for retirement earlier then they normally would have. Kerry will lose the Military vote. Kerry will be forced to implement a draft in order to keep military end strength. This needs some serious non-CBS investigative reporting so that the American people can see that Kerry is trying to trump the President on an issue that his party is supporting. Guaranteed to lose Kerry the Young votes...


55 posted on 09/22/2004 2:48:56 PM PDT by tomnbeverly (Don't let John Kerry put a price on our childrens heads bear any burden pay any cost elect GW.)
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To: Enduring Freedom

Gee, I thought Bush was the culprit.


56 posted on 09/22/2004 2:52:16 PM PDT by KStorm (A government big enough to reach out and touch you is big enough to step on you.)
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To: All

Bump to the top!!!


57 posted on 09/22/2004 3:04:04 PM PDT by pollywog (Psalm 121;1 I Lift my eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help.)
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To: pollywog

Bttt


58 posted on 09/22/2004 3:04:30 PM PDT by pollywog (Psalm 121;1 I Lift my eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help.)
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To: Prov3456
Hello and Thanks,

My son is 6, so this is not an issue in my house. However, my nephews are 18 and 15, perfect ages to scare the crap out of them and their parents.

Glad to be here, MOgirl
59 posted on 09/22/2004 3:06:51 PM PDT by MOgirl (In memory of Walton Wayne Callahan, I love you forever.)
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To: cripplecreek

No, that isn't true. I know Joe Biden has a son in the military.


60 posted on 09/22/2004 3:08:45 PM PDT by zbigreddogz
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