Posted on 11/27/2006 6:53:30 PM PST by Graybeard58
The incoming Democratic leadership in the House has fortunately rejected a very bad idea from one of its own: the draft. Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi has said she has no interest in reviving the conscription plan dreamed up by the next chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel of New York.
Good. Rangel is misguided in arguing that the war in Iraq disproportionately targets low-income families. The military is not a dumping ground for the underclass.
Using Defense Department data, the Heritage Foundation reports that roughly 14 percent of "wartime recruits" - people who joined the armed forces after the invasion of Iraq - come from households with a median income of $29,375 or less.
Nationwide, 20 percent of households have incomes that low or lower; so if Rangel's hopes to promote "social justice," his draft would have to target more poor people, not fewer.
Rangel's proposal is much more insidious, however. He would force every American aged 18 to 42, male and female, to perform two years of public service, either in the military or in some federal make-work program. Imagine the cost to taxpayers of forcing millions of adults to give up productive lives to satisfy Rangel's social-engineering scheme.
If his 'plan' goes forward, I request every relative 'of age' associated with a congress person be the first in line. It's only 'fair'. I expect a full report by El Rooters and Ai Pea.
Rangel needs to force people in their 70's to perform 2 years of public service. And Rangel's service in Korea should not exempt him from participating in a "makework" program, since he's probably already collected some veteran benefits.
Good thought. Maybe they are using him as sort of a sideshow, to distract folks from noticing their more sinister machinations.
Actually, Rangel's plan is to engender a wider base of opposition to the war against terrorism by making more people susceptible to serving. He believes that if more people are at risk of being forced into serving, then there will be a real outcry against the war as opposed to the support for this war demonstrated by an all volunteer military.
What utter drivel! He didn't dream this up because he is misguided. He did it to try to embarrass the Administration. I suggest it's hard to embarrass someone when the source looks, acts and sounds stupid.
It was a hard decision for me to make because there are so many candidates to choose from and others may disagree with me but I believe that Rangle is the absolute stupidest member of congress.
I'm sending this to all the libs who told me Bush had plans to reinstate the draft.
Rangel is tired of Al Sharpton getting all the headlines ;->
Lol- Rangel wants a draft- then he coems out and insults the troops- is he totally insane? Looks like he's trying to rile the folks up to start some kind of insurection. Seriously though, he is only trying to embarrass the admin by suggesting this- He ALSO knows that when there is a draft on that people will protest the war even harder just as they did in Vietnam- http://sacredscoop.com
You mean he's defeated two-time champion Al Sharpton?
"Rangel's social-engineering scheme."
It's not social engineering. It's slavery/dictatorship, with Rangelscum calling the shots.
Your comment makes me sick! I am not saying I disagree with it, just that it makes me sick!
Werent the dems the one raising the biggest anti-draft stink, accusing the pubs of trying to bring back the draft, when we went in to Iraq?
My brother got one of those winning lottery ticket notices 2 weeks before h.s. graduation '67. Sukt, big time.
I'm of two minds about this proposal from the socialist Congressman from Harlem. On one hand, I believe that more young people should be expected to do something for their country, but on the other, should they be forced to do so? I don't think the military should be a "dumping ground" for malcontents, but I think the fact that our upper middle class and above know nothing first-hand about the armed forces is VERY dangerous to the Republic. If we ever go back to a draft, those that opt for military service should receive about three times the pay and benefits of those that go the VISTA/CCC/AmeriCorps/Peace Corps route.
Actually, Rangel and a few others from the Dems were the ones who stated that the draft needed to be reinstituted, and then tried to blame the Republicans for their words.
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