Rep. Rangel Will Seek to Reinstate Draft

[Steve Blair]

He doesn't really have one. This is one of those political grandstanding stunts (in my view) being pulled by someone who most likely doesn't understand how the draft works and wants to use it to make political hay.

The draft that he's dreaming of never really existed (there were always exemptions and such, and if he seriously thinks they won't exist in the future he's dreaming...and I'm sure he'd be careful to write some in to protect his kids and grandkids), and it certainly didn't stop LBJ from digging deeper and deeper into Vietnam.

Discussions of policy should come from Congress (both houses), NOT though some phony draft dreamed up to "spark" discussion.

Ok...off the soapbox now...

In response to selil, who posted while I was ranting...;-), I would have to point out that the US military (with the single exception of the period between World War 2 and the end of the draft) has never looked like mainstream America. I would also argue that our government is packed with elites who bear very little resemblance to those they govern. Nothing prevented folks like Rangel from volunteering. Nothing prevents his children from doing the same. And nothing prevents those in Congress or the other branches from learning about the military and its function in society. I always find discussions of the draft to be a Trojan horse for some other agenda these days.