Rangel to reintroduce military draft measure

The Hill ^ | 01/14/09 | Susan Crabtree

[DGHoodini]

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) likely will introduce his controversial legislation to reinstate the draft again this year, but he will wait until after the economic stimulus package is passed.

Asked if he plans to introduce the legislation again in 2009, Rangel last week said, "Probably … yes. I don't want to do anything this early to distract from the issue of the economic stimulus."

Rangel's military draft bill did create a distraction for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) soon after Democrats won control of Congress after the 2006 election.

In the wake of that historic victory, Pelosi said publicly that she did not support the draft and that the Democratic leadership would not back Rangel's legislation. She also said Rangel's legislation was not about reinstating the draft but was instead "a way to make a point" about social inequality.

Reintroducing the military draft bill, which would attract media attention, will be trickier for Rangel in 2009 than it was a couple years ago because the Ways and Means Committee chairman is now under investigation by the House ethics committee.

Democratic leaders have given Rangel a leading role in helping craft the new economic stimulus bill despite an array of ethics allegations that have surfaced over the last several months. The charges have ranged from failing to report rental income on a villa in the Dominican Republic to an alleged quid pro quo involving a legislative favor for a donor to an education center bearing Rangel's name.

[DGHoodini]

They are going to need a draft, with the lack of c onfidence there is in Obama as a CinC, and the filthy pervert DimoDeviates, about to pervi-tize the military....

Their retention rate is about to fall through the floor, and we will no doubt witness a lot of officers resigning their commishions in the next year or two.

What self respecting warrior would want to serve in such a depraved "military"?

[Red in Blue PA]

They should introduce a bill to draft people who do not pay taxes on vacation villas.

[KarlInOhio]

Just wait until he proposes a draft for the Obama Jungend.

[cubreporter]

This will be very interesting to see how the left/libs will handle the idea and possibility of themselves or those they know and love being drafted. Mmmmm, interesting indeed.

[cubreporter]

This will be very interesting to see how the left/libs will handle the idea and possibility of themselves or those they know and love being drafted. Mmmmm, interesting indeed.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

If Rangel was white he would have been run out of office by now.

[machogirl]

from the Heritage Foundation:

long, but good read, here is an excerpt:

Who Serves in the U.S. Military? The Demographics of Enlisted Troops and Officers
by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D. and James Sherk
Center for Data Analysis Report #08-05

Interactive U.S. map of troop representation levels

Who serves in the active-duty ranks of the U.S. all-volunteer military? Conventional wisdom holds that military service disproportionately attracts minorities and men and women from disadvan­taged backgrounds. Many believe that troops enlist because they have few options, not because they want to serve their country. Others believe that the war in Iraq has forced the military to lower its recruiting standards.

Previous Heritage Foundation studies that exam­ined the backgrounds of enlisted personnel refute this interpretation.[1] This report expands on those studies by using an improved methodology to study the demographic characteristics of newly commissioned officers and personnel who enlisted in 2006 and 2007.

Any discussion of troop quality must take place in context. A soldier’s demographic characteristics are of little importance in the military, which val­ues honor, leadership, self-sacrifice, courage, and integrity—qualities that cannot be quantified. Nonetheless, any assessment of the quality of recruits can take place only on the basis of objec­tive criteria. Demographic characteristics are a poor proxy for the quality of those who serve in the armed forces, but they can help to explain which Americans volunteer for military service and why.

Based on an understanding of the limitations of any objective definition of quality, this report com­pares military volunteers to the civilian population on four demographic characteristics: household income, education level, racial and ethnic back­ground, and regional origin. This report finds that:

1. U.S. military service disproportionately attracts enlisted personnel and officers who do not come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Previous Her­itage Foundation research demonstrated that the quality of enlisted troops has increased since the start of the Iraq war. This report demon­strates that the same is true of the officer corps.
2. Members of the all-volunteer military are sig­nificantly more likely to come from high-income neighborhoods than from low-income neighborhoods. Only 11 percent of enlisted recruits in 2007 came from the poorest one-fifth (quintile) of neighborhoods, while 25 per­cent came from the wealthiest quintile. These trends are even more pronounced in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) pro­gram, in which 40 percent of enrollees come from the wealthiest neighborhoods—a number that has increased substantially over the past four years.
3. American soldiers are more educated than their peers. A little more than 1 percent of enlisted per­sonnel lack a high school degree, compared to 21 percent of men 18–24 years old, and 95 percent of officer accessions have at least a bachelor’s degree.
4. Contrary to conventional wisdom, minorities are not overrepresented in military service. Enlisted troops are somewhat more likely to be white or black than their non-military peers. Whites are proportionately represented in the officer corps, and blacks are overrepresented, but their rate of overrepresentation has declined each year from 2004 to 2007. New recruits are also disproportionately likely to come from the South, which is in line with the history of South­ern military tradition.

[Billthedrill]

It’d be lousy for the military - I know, the one I joined took draftees - and so I hope it dies in obscurity as it’s likely to. But if it does not a whole lot of young Obama enthusiasts are going to have their noses rubbed in change they had better believe in. And they won’t be blaming Bush for it, either.

[Edizzl79]

“will trickle to the media”

yeah im sure it will trickle to the media like ayers and obama during the campaign, a whisper a couple days before hand.

[machogirl]

oops, forgot link

http://www.heritage.org/Research/NationalSecurity/cda08-05.cfm

[ETL]

From the website of the Workers World Party:

"Workers World Party values our close, comradely relations with the Workers Party of Korea very highly. We are proud to have known Kim Il Sung as a great leader and a comrade in the international communist movement. ..."

With comradely solidarity, Sam Marcy Chairperson, Workers World Party" (1994):
http://www.workers.org/marcy/cd/sam94/1994html/s940721.htm

___________________________________________________________

Workers World
55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email: ww@workers.org
Subscribe wwnews-subscribe@workersworld.net
Support independent news
http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php

International Action Center
55 W 17th St #5C
New York, NY 10011
212-633-6646
iacenter@action-mail.org
ndomtickets@safewebmail.com
www.iacenter.org
[http://www.iacenter.org/polprisoners/dom-2007.htm]

Troops Out Now Coalition
55 W. 17th St. #5C
NY NY 10011
www.TroopsOutNow.org

____________________________________________________

Photo of Charlie Rangel at the podium of a March 19th, 2005 Workers World Party/Troops Out Now rally in Harlem, New York. The occasion marked the 2nd anniversary of the start of the Iraq war. The photo comes from the Workers World Party website.

Also appearing at this "peace" rally with the demonRat Charlie Rangel, now chairman of The House Ways and Means Committee, were Saddam Hussein lawyer, Ramsey Clark and convicted terrorist enabler/attorney, Lynne Stewart. Clark, with Workers World Party, started up that other 'peace' group, A.N.S.W.E.R. Clark also heads the International Action Center and was actually once Attorney General of the United States under democrat LBJ.

Source for the photos: Workers World Party website (workers.org)
http://www.workers.org/march19/index2.html

[scory]

Let them reinstate the draft. The unintended consequences should be a riot to watch unfold.

[livius]

Actually, that’s essentially what this “draft” is. Watch it morph in a bit to include Bambi’s Youth Corps.

[Mr. Mojo]

It's no coincidence that Rangel waits until after elections (both midterm and genenal) to put this bill on the table.

[BookmanTheJanitor]

[dead]

Rangel simply wants a draft because it's damn near impossible to tack your class warfare, racial agenda on the back of all-volunteer military.

[Dahoser]

It’d be lousy for the military - I know, the one I joined took draftees - and so I hope it dies in obscurity as it’s likely to. But if it does not a whole lot of young Obama enthusiasts are going to have their noses rubbed in change they had better believe in. And they won’t be blaming Bush for it, either.

Oh yes they will. Bush will be blamed for being a warmonger who stretched our troops so thin that Chairman Hussein is being forced to draft his beloved 52% drones to make up for the damage. You just wait and see.

[Sig Sauer P220]

If Rangel was white he would have been run out of office by now.

Sadly, that is the truth. Otherwise, its racist. Same with the Jefferson dude in Louisiana.

[silverleaf]

sit down Chuck

but pay your taxes first

[Sig Sauer P220]

Good photoshop opportunity for someone. Maybe showing blood trickling down the side, from his chest.

[Army Air Corps]

The Demodraft Party.

Note to all peacniks weenies who voted for “Change” - Change can be a beyotch.

[longtermmemmory]

remember for rangle this is all about giving wide open access to the GI bill.

essentially the benefits of military service without the need to actually serve.

Imagine if you have the option of serving in the real military or obama’s (brown shirt) “civilian” military force...

[ETL]

Here are a few not-so 'anti-war' statements from the Workers World Party front, Troops Out Now:

Source for the photo, the (Stalinist) Workers World Party website (workers.org)
http://www.workers.org/march19/index2.html

___________________________________________________________

TROOPS OUT NOW: "It is time for the antiwar movement to acknowledge the absolute and unconditional right of the Iraqi people to resist the occupation of their country without passing judgment on their methods of resistance. Even the founding charter of the United Nations clearly affirms the right of an occupied people to resist by force of arms."

"We need to demand the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of all U.S. occupation troops from Iraq."

"We must support politically, morally and organizationally members of the U.S. armed services who are resisting the war, moreover, we must encourage this resistance."

"There must no longer be any hesitation on the part of our movement regarding our support of the struggle of the Palestinian people to free themselves from occupation. As a movement we have made a huge step forward in this regard. There must be no turning back."

"We must work to facilitate the widest unity between all of the forces that are seriously organizing against the war and occupation."

All of the above statements can be found at this Troops Out Now web page:
http://www.troopsoutnow.org/statements/outnow.html

[TomKOne]

One simple question will stop all talk of a draft:

“Will you draft women?”

Either answer will create a HUGE uproar!

[ETL]

The point I was trying to make with my posts was that Rangel is aligned with the commie, anti-military left. That is the anti U.S. military left. Despite his service in the Korean War, he is hooked up with groups and individuals who are PRO-communist North Korea. Workers World Party are one of the sickest commie organizations out there.

[FatherFig1o155]

“What self respecting warrior would want to serve in such a depraved ‘military’?”

The kids that don’t want to fight but still want all the government benefits that the US government affords?

Just a guess...

[stylin19a]

She also said Rangel's legislation was not about reinstating the draft but was instead "a way to make a point" about social inequality.

Rangel has been proved wrong on this time and time again.

[ravingnutter]

CHARLIE RANGEL'S DRAFT OBSESSION

Some excerpts:

Republicans understand Rangel's motive for calling for a renewed draft. He's opposed to all military actions undertaken by the Bush Administration and is a vocal opponent of the Iraq war, but he sees an opportunity to undermine the military by infusing it with draftees who don't want to fight. He is also aware that conscription creates civil discord.

"Rangel's draft is part and parcel of the "class warfare" strategy the Democrat Party uses to divide the country," says a high-ranking military officer.

Oh, and by the way, the first time his own draft bill came before Congress in 2004, Congressman Charlie Rangel voted "nay."

[airedale]

It would be one thing if Rangel wanted to have the draft back to improve the military but last time he pushed this proposal it was to make it harder for the President to use the military.

In the past the draft was used to provide bodies not soldiers. The idea is which ever side had the most cannon fodder usually won. The military has found that it takes 2-3 years to make a highly effective soldier who isn’t cannon fodder and is much more likely to survive and to win. Rangel wants cannon fodder not soldiers.

[3niner]

Oh the irony. Many idiots hate Bush, because they are so cowardly they are even afraid to let volunteer heros defend them. Now many will be forced to defend themselves and others.

[ravingnutter]

Yep...you are right, he knows he is wrong and still continues to lie:

Rep. Rangel and members of the Congressional Black Caucus had complained that Blacks were being used as "cannon fodder" in the Iraq war, until they were confronted with the fact that only five percent (5%) of the troops in Iraq are African-Americans, while 14% of the US population are black. Rangel backed off from making that allegation when speaking with whites, yet he continues to use the canard when speaking to black audiences.

Charlie Rangel's Draft Obsession

[ClayinVA]

he puts this bill in every year. What is different about this year, it might pass. A lot of crazy bills are in the same boat this year.

[Mr. Mojo]

It won’t pass without the support of Pelosi and Reid. ...and the other day Nancy said that Rangel’s bill is merely a “statement on social justice” (or something to that effect) and that she won’t support it. The Dems know that passing a draft bill would be political suicide. Not going to happen.

[ETL]

YouTube: "Charlie Rangel Shows How Crazy He Is"
"Democrat Congressman Charlie Rangel outlines his pro-Castro, anti-Israel views live on television for all to see. Have to see it to believe it."
[the part on Castro is about midway through video]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBNaTMyGyGY

[The Great RJ]

The irony of a black liberal Congressman introducing a military draft bill is incredible. Weren’t Bambi’s close allies in the Weather Underground avidly anti-draft?

[NTHockey]

I believe that the original bill would have made eligible 45 year olds.

If so, this is age discrimination. How about veterans over 45 who want to go back?

[HighlyOpinionated]

Why is Rangel still in Congress?

Oh, I guess because he’s black and a Democrat. But that’s no reason for him not to be investigated and charged with “conduct unbecoming a Congressperson.”

I’m speechless so I won’t be banned for life.

[Chances Are]

You want to know how they will handle that?

Everyone - and I mean everyone - in the country will be subject to an all-encompassing, in-depth pdychological profile. That includes prints and everything. Voting records, public and private commentary, the works!

Now, once that is in place, only people (or their offspring) who have been determined to be politically oriented to the center or the right will be subject to this draft. Gun owners and their families will be first, if they have not surrendered all firearms and related paraphernalia in their possession prior to this. (Should they have complied with the surrender article, that will not necessarily exempt them from the draft, it will simply move them down a bit.)

Wars will periodically be instigated for the purpose of flushing the ranks of the military in a timely, orderly manner. Wars, once declared by The Obama, and appropriately rubber stamped by his politburo, will not be subject to debate - anywhere.

These wars will always end about 6 months prior to any election, and will always feature the same result - America's embarrassing defeat. These defeats will, unlike their declarations, be debated openly, widely, and loudly.

More to come...

CA....

[chesley]

If Rangel were white, he could never have been elected. At least from his district.

[Sarajevo]

A decorated Korean War veteran and a member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, Rangel argues that the burden of fighting wars falls disproportionately on low-income people and that cost should be borne more broadly.

But what would be the consequences if Chelsea Clintons name came up?

[Mr Inviso]

And to think my dumb 18-year-old nephew voted for Odumbo and the Dems because he was told that McCain was going to bring back the draft.

[RetSignman]

He'll be watching college kids burn their draft cards...from here.

[cubreporter]

Maybe but...I don’t think so. :)

[cubreporter]

Well, it’s gonna be interesting to say the least. All the whiners will now have family subject to the draft.

[BBell]

I’m not defending Rangel but he is a Korean war vet.

[Red in Blue PA]

That means what?????

Because he served his country he is off the hook from laws the rest of us must follow?

[redgolum]

Well, the next stage is Iran and Pakistan. At least that is where the Saudi’s want us to go.

[xrmusn]

If they bring back the draft will BO count the draftees as part of his 600,000 Govt Jobs?

[bushwon]

from the Heritage Foundation:
Who Serves in the U.S. Military? The Demographics of Enlisted Troops and Officers
by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D. and James Sherk
Center for Data Analysis Report #08-05

Thanks for posting!

[machogirl]

you are welcome