Democrats and the Draft: Kerry Advocates Mandatory Service to Graduate from High School

Archived Official Kerry Website ^ | Kerry Campaign Offical Website

[TommyC1]

How much do you want to bet this idea shows up on the She Who Must Not Be Named/PIAPS '08 site?

[TigersEye]

The real problems with this is not whether there are any good ideas in it or not. The first problem is that Kerry talks out of both sides of his mouth. He'll be for this one day and against it the next. There is no plan behind it at all because it was never anything but hot air to mine some votes.

The second problem is that Kerry and the DNC have just initiated a campaign of "Bush plans to reinstate the draft" scare tactics fabricated from whole cloth. And here it is, freshly scrubbed from the Kerry Campaign website, his own proposal to create a draft.

[ofthenight]

interesting indeed. however im for a mandatory draft for those that drop out of highschool for reasons other than supporting a family or disease. i know a lot of drop outs that just sit around and do absolutely nothing but soak up our tax dollars for their needs.

2 years of service equal to a four year degree...shakey on this one right now.

the rest sounds good to me if it were optional. like another poster wrote, it fringes the constitution.

[Bonaparte]

LOL! I think it's a very safe bet that the she-wolf will want everything strictly regimented. We will wind up envying the Swedes' low tax rates.

[sailor4321]

Go to www.thegreenside.com/, read the "front line" accounts from Marines doing the fighting, and then tell me its over for ground pounders.

Don't mistake me; I'm not advocating a draft. Everything I've read indicates the military leadership much prefers an all volunteer force --- even for infantry. If the draft is ever needed again, it seems to me the period of service required would have to be much longer than the historical 1-2 years in order for it to work with today's technology. However, "an obligation to serve my country is slavery" sounds an awfully lot like some welfare queen saying "what have you done for me lately".

[bad company]

I've been saying this for a while. The dems are the ones in congress pushing the draft. kerry has said that he wants to put more troops in Iraq, but the french bring nothind to the table militarily and the germans cannot deploy militayr troops constitutionally. That leaves a kerry administration bringing back the draft.

[NY Attitude]

It makes for a lot of cannon fodder.

[Bonaparte]

I don't deny that there is still plenty of need for men on the ground. But the numbers have shifted with the technology. We just no longer need oceans of infantrymen.

[Walkingfeather]

I think the legal argument can be made that slavery was abolished and you can not force someone to work for free.

[sailor4321]

I agree with you.

[TommyC1]

Try that one out on your draft board and see how far you get. Avoiding the draft is/was a felony.

[Jet Jaguar]

The end of the article states "America's military is having trouble recruiting"

This is not correct. The Army is slightly short of it's goal.

The other services have met their recruiting goals.

[sailor4321]

When you are drafted you get paid. In fact, you get paid just same amount as those who volunteered. In my case, that was $97.50 and found. You also take exactly the same oath (that is, swear to do and not do certain things).

[maine-iac7]

straight out communist youth/mind-control.
Want to graduate high school? you owe the government 2 free years.
Want to have your medical expenses and medicines, Sr, Citizens = you give us 10 hours a week.
etc etc
The only thing voluntary about these programs will be that there's no paycheck involved.
This is truly frightening. It is Marxism. Everyone will be controlled.
I guess growing up abroad and going to private Schools there - living with a communist sympathizer dad - one should expect this - but am surprised he'd have it spelled out for all to read before he was in power. Again - my other posts where I give you the link the 18 Feb 04 story in The Onion - with him perched high in the prow if one of his yachts that he was having towed around the states by an 18-wheeler on a campaign tour - while he pontificated to the peon factory workers below is a raw look at just who that man is...Someone aught to write a book entitles "The Man Who Would Be King" (photo/story - you'll have to copy/paste because the sight is locked from linking.
www.theonion.com/election2004/news_4007.php

[Bonaparte]

I'm satisfied that if there is ever a need for more people in the military than will volunteer, then those people will be called up. Until then, I see no need for a draft. I'm also extremely suspicious of these "community service" schemes. For students, there are already plenty of opportunities for community service for those who choose to do so. The government can only grow by shrinking the private sector, which is the same as shrinking our freedom. Let them mind their business and let Americans do what they've always done best, ie. produce.

[sailor4321]

My sentiments exactly! Kerry's schemes would be nothing more than a massive indoctrination program and/or a way to funnel money to favored groups. Little or nothing of real value would be accomplished and it would be a dead loss out of pocket.

[Jet Jaguar]

I was incorrect on my previous post.

Army says 2004 recruiting goals have been reached

http://www.newsenterpriseonline.com/articles/2004/09/28/news/news4.txt

[sailor4321]

For another thread, this one on how the left is trying to use fears of a draft, go here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1229888/posts

Seems like the left, reflecting their leader, can't make up their minds on this...

[HannaUSA]

This is blatant socialism.

[Bonaparte]

Now here is a guy who couldn't wait to volunteer.