John Murtha supports the draft. Do you?

[Clarkie1]

So when I go to a college campus and they say to me: Is there going to be a draft? I say, "Well, I'm for a draft, but it's not likely."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/07/AR2005120701588.html?nav=rss_politics

[rockymountaindem]

1. I tried bringing this up, but I was shouted down by the chorus

of people who think Murtha is the answer to all our prayers, even the ones that have nothing to do with Iraq.

[Mr_Spock]

4. Huh?

You tried to criticize the guy when he was doing a great service for Dems and you were shot down? I wonder why :eyes:

I think that now is a good time to discuss this since he has made his point and things have moved on. Every issue has it's time...

[rockymountaindem]

5. No, that's not what I did

The day he came out with his plan (I think it was that very day) some people immediately started shouting "Murtha '08!" I just tried to get these people to think more comprehensively.

[Clarkie1]

7. "thinking comprehensively"...always a plus. eom

[Mr_Spock]

9. Yeah, I guess you were right to want to calm the mob...

I saw some folks really hitting him for that issue immediately though so I just wanted to make that point.

I was a little taken aback by the Murtha for God chanting by some :rofl:

[QC]

10. But he's IMPURE!!! IMPURE, I tell you!!! n/t

[mmonk]

2. The draft is the surest way

to have people ask questions.

[theHandpuppet]

20. Bingo!!!

If there had been a draft we wouldn't have been in Iraq to begin with.

[Mr_Spock]

3. No, but it does tend to put your money where your mouth is...

Wanna fight a war? Put YOUR kid in possible danger based on a lottery system - see how YOU like it. Rangel had them running for cover when he proposed it...

[PDJane]

6. If you believe in

"full spectrum dominance," then it has to be fueled by bodies.....Empire has always been bought with blood.

So yes, if the US continues on this particular path, there will have to be a draft.....or a lot of money and time spent on self-breeding, self-repairing battle machines, take your pick.

Either way is much too expensive in terms of the rest of the world.

[politicat]

8. I only support a draft if the loopholes are closed.

It's too easy for rich kids with influence to get out of service and for poor kids without influence to get handed their ass in a basket.

(I say this as the child of a guy who chose the Navy over the draft since he was going to end up under Uncle Sam's wing one way or another.)

There should be an equal chance that a senator's kid will end up on the front lines as a kid from 8 Mile.

After that... a draft gets people thinking and talking.

And if you don't want (or your kid) to go... get arrested for Littering.

[Patchuli]

16. "What'd ya get arrested for?" "Littering."

http://www.arlo.net/lyrics/alices.shtml

Amen to the serious part of your post. Our kids aren't going unless the rich bastards' kids go too! And you can be damn straight that any so called Leader would be highly questioned about the need for my kids to go anywhere they don't want to go on their own!

[ultraist]

11. Murtha is a conservative Dem whom I disagree with on several issues

But, he is kicking ass speaking out against the war. I fully support him in that.

Give 'em hell, Murtha. :patriot: :applause:

[Solon]

12. I believe in a type of Universal Service...

A couple of things that I would like to see is this. Every citizen of the country, from the ages of 18-26 will have to enroll in a type of public service according to availability of said service and personal preference, for 2 years. This service will not have to be military in nature, in fact, preferably not. While joining the military will be ONE option, it wouldn't be the only one, for those who do not wish to join the military in any capacity, you could work for the local, state, or national government, in a capacity that they determine is best. For those who have religious objections or moral to any of these, other options include working in soup kitchens, compensated for time by the government, and other charitable work. Another bonus, is that every citizen will also have a minimum of 4 years college that is paid for by government, and additional post-grad and doctorate work can also be paid for, if they meet minimum GPA requirements.

[TahitiNut]

22. Varying length of service, depending on the service.

Public health service (good career training), Peace Corps (travel, multicultural), VISTA (leap over class barriers), Federal Lands management (something urban kids might never see), and a variety of military service.

It's called "excess capacity" (among other things). Imagine how public service people can be redeployed (even in their trained specialties) for disaster assistance? Remember, the "business mind" abhors excess capacity - there's no profit in it; it's pure expense and no revenue.

One might think "but isn't the military our 'excess capacity' - our 'just in case' resource?" Nope. (At one time, after WW2, that might've been the facade. Think about how the Founders regarded this and where that 'force was.) It's the head-busting company cops for global corporatism - like railroads had the Pinkertons and Ford had his private police force at the overpass. Their sole purpose is to enforce global 'property' entitlements - and arm-twist puppet governments. Remember, an 'entitlement' exists solely because a government (global and de facto, if need be, if not de jure) uses force to create it.

Everyone serves. Male, female, gay, straight, abled, disabled, and all the in-betweens - everybody.

Oh ... by the way ... it works alongside universal health care, too.

[Solon]

23. Maybe a two year minimum...

For let's say soup kitchen volunteers or less intensive work. Variable time works best, and it would be good to have perhaps a national preparation standard of sorts. Like having all that are serve take Red Cross training, when and how to use it, that type of thing. Imagine the lives that could have been saved during Katrina with just a LITTLE bit of training for those who seemed so powerless at the time. I also agree with UHC and of course, by universal, I do definately mean universal.

[Dem Agog]

13. Absolutely

If * wants to keep playing Stratego in the oil fields, it's time for a draft.

Everyone should be called up. Time to make the rich pay as well as the poor.

Perhaps when it's the right wing pigdog's son who gets sucked into the army and shipped off to Iraq and murdered for Bush's little "I'm bigger than mah daddy!" penis waving little game, they'll start thinking for a change.

[aquart]

14. Yes.

I'm also for an obligated 18-months of national service for all able-bodied Americans at least 700 miles from home.

[Horse with no Name]

15. I think a draft is a wonderful idea

(I say that as I hold mine and my children's passports in my hand).
I think it is a form of genocide when they cut student loans and grants for poor kids so that most doors close for education unless they volunteer to play Russian Roulette in the military.
I want to see some Vanderbilts on the front lines too.
Of course, all loopholes would HAVE to be closed, but it is about time some of these suburbanites invest more than a vote for Bush and magnet for their SUV to fight these imperialistic wars.
They are fine with the policy...as long as it is someone else's kid.
Bring em on I say. It is the only way this is all going to end.

[flordehinojos]

17. NO!

[Catt03]

18. Yes.......nt

[InaneAnanity]

19. my thoughts

A draft might be good. It would make people support the war by offering up their kids, or cower in terror and reveal their hypocrisy to the idiotic masses.

Also, a draft would cause such an uproar that we would withdraw sooner, I think.

I'm of drafting age, and there is no way I would go though.

[welshTerrier2]

21. confusing the messenger with the message

Murtha has been more effective than any other Democrat on moving the national discussion on Iraq in the right direction ...

i wish Democrats would get behind his plan and eliminate all the "we have to succeed" plans ... the only contingency for withdrawal in Murtha's plan is the safety of the troops ... there is no justification beyond troop safety to spend even one extra day in Iraq ...

but this does not mean i want Murtha to run for President and it doesn't even mean that i agree with him on any other issue ... i certainly don't agree with him on the draft ...