Democrat (Rep. Charles Rangel wants) to reinstate military draft

[FORD]

Originally posted by Fairwrning
I just see this as somewhat "petty" if you will..although I see he proposed this before we went into Iraq...
What ages were his kids..and how old are they now?

Bio doesn't give any specifics on the ages or names of the kids. Can't really blame the family for that, with right wing freaks running around sending anthrax threats through the mail and shit like that.

The point is here that Rangel doesn't REALLY want a draft. He wants the Chimpministration and their supporters to look at the complete USELESSNESS of wars being fought on foreign soil for motives that have absolutely nothing to do with the security of the United States of America.

Maybe he understands that a little better because he fought in such a war himself?

Or maybe, as the congressman who represents a predominately lower income district such as Harlem, he knows that the poor end up making a disproportionate sacrifice in a war which benefits the rich.

Either way, if the BCE insists on an invasion of Iran, there WILL be a draft, regardless of who writes the legislation. And the consequences of that is something EVERY American needs to take very seriously.

[Nickdfresh]

Related...

Key Policymakers Remain at Odds Over Iraq

By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, November 19, 2006; 7:01 PM

The incoming Democratic chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee said today that he will push to renew the military draft, as lawmakers in both parties sharpened their criticisms of the situation in Iraq and struggled for consensus and solutions.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a presidential contender, leveled one of his harshest assessments yet, saying U.S. troops are "fighting and dying for a failed policy." He renewed his call for more U.S. troops in Iraq and said it is immoral to keep them fighting at the current deployment levels.

And Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), the incoming chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, repeated today his view that troop withdrawals must begin within four to six months.

The varying proposals underscored the extent to which key policymakers remain at odds two weeks after voters registered deep discontent over the war and restored Democrats to power in Congress.

Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) has long advocated a return to the draft, but his efforts drew little attention during the 12 years that House Democrats were in the minority. Starting in January, however, he will chair the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. Today he said "you bet your life" he will renew his drive for a draft.

"I will be introducing that bill as soon as we start the new session," Rangel said on CBS's "Face the Nation." He portrayed the draft, suspended since 1973, as a means of spreading military obligations more equitably and prompting political leaders to think twice before starting wars.

"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way," said Rangel, a Korean War veteran. "If we're going to challenge Iran and challenge North Korea and then, as some people have asked, to send more troops to Iraq, we can't do that without a draft."

Rangel drew modest support for his draft proposal in recent years, and it was unclear whether its prospects might be any better in the 110th Congress.

Sen. Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), who will be the Senate majority leader, agrees that the U.S. military is stretched too thin and "the burden of meeting the nation's security has not been shared equally by all segments of our society," said Reid spokesman Jim Manley. But Reid "believes that these problems are best addressed by making needed adjustments in the all-volunteer force," Manley said.

On ABC's "This Week," McCain reiterated his argument that the United States faces a catastrophic setback in Iraq unless it deploys more troops to reduce sectarian violence and stabilize the country. "We have to have additional forces, or we will be playing whack-a-mole," he said.

McCain said in a speech Thursday that it is immoral to keep troops fighting merely to "delay our defeat for a few months or a year." He was asked yesterday by ABC's George Stephanopoulos, "Isn't it currently immoral to keep Marines and soldiers, other service people, in Iraq?" McCain replied: "Yes, it is." But the war still can be won with renewed effort and resources, he said.

Lawmakers are anxiously awaiting recommendations next month from an Iraq study group co-chaired by former secretary of state James A. Baker III and former House member Lee H. Hamilton. If the group does not advocate sending more troops to Iraq, McCain said, then he would support a troop withdrawal "if, at the point, I think that we have exhausted every option and that we are doomed to failure. I don't know if it'll be at that point [in December] or not."

Although not asked directly about the draft, McCain said, "We've got the best military we've ever had in our all-volunteer force."

Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) agreed with McCain, saying on "Face the Nation" that more troops should be sent to Iraq and that a military draft is not necessary.

Levin, speaking on CNN's "Late Edition," said the United States must start withdrawing from Iraq to pressure Iraqis to assume control of their nation.

"We must tell the Iraqis that we would begin, starting in four to six months, a phased reduction of our troops," Levin said. Otherwise, he said, "they're going to continue to have the false assumption that we are there in some kind of an open-ended way . . . which takes them off the hook."

On the political front today, Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) said on "Fox News Sunday" that he is considering another presidential bid in 2008 despite widespread criticism of what he called "a botched joke" that seemed to denigrate troops in Iraq.

And Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) -- who won a contest for House majority leader over a candidate backed by the incoming speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) -- said he was confident there will not be retaliation against his supporters.

"We're going to talk about that," Hoyer said on "This Week." "But I'm sure that's not going to happen."

In a secret-ballot election by House Democrats on Thursday, Hoyer defeated Rep. John Murtha (Pa.), 149 to 86.

© 2006 The Washington Post Company

Oh. BTW, this was on the front page Sade...

[EAT MY ASSHOLE]

Originally posted by LoungeMachine
As oppsed to the current BACK DOOR DRAFT?

Ahhh...my favorite kind of draft...

[sadaist]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh

And no genius, one Democrat (who is not in any leadership capacity in the House) does not represent all Democrats. This is not a official "platform" position is it?!

No shit dickwad. It's called sarcasm. I pointed it out because you changed the thread title because you didn't like it (WOW, there's something new for the Front Line). Yet whenever a Republican says or does something you disagree with, it represents all Republicans. Fucking hypocrite. You make me sick.

[sadaist]

Originally posted by Nickdfresh

And no genius, one Democrat (who is not in any leadership capacity in the House) does not represent all Democrats. This is not a official "platform" position is it?!

Feel free to prove otherwise...

"Senior Democrat"

"An influential Democratic lawmaker"

"incoming chairman of the House of Representatives' tax-writing committee"

"to head the House Ways and Means Committee"

[Ellyllions]

Originally posted by Nitro Express
This isn't Israel so no way would people stand for women being drafted. They never were before in the US. Good luck getting a two sex draft passed.

Now, this I gotta quote.
MARK MY WORDS: If there is any slight hint of "sexism" in a draft proposal, the squall from feminists will be akin to a million cats getting their tails stepped on all at once.

See, women bitched because they were being released from active duty in the event of a pregnancy...so, the military spent ump-teen dollars producing maternity cammies and realigned the policies. THEN, women turned around an bitched again when those that wanted to be released from active duty couldn't be in the event that they got pregnant. Basically, they wanted to be able to decide.

There will have to be a female contingency for the draft and I guarantee that it will have to be left up to the female to participate.

Women just completely baffle me. Sorry ladies but I am NOT a feminist.

[Ellyllions]

To add:
If this gets passed, the Dems can kiss the '08 Presidency good-bye.

[knuckleboner]

there's NO CHANCE that a draft gets passed.

rangle's got the bully pulpit, since he's in line to be ways and means chair. so he'll introduce the bill, and, if he's pushy, get it out of committee. but it goes down in the house floor. he's doing this for the debate. period.

and it never gets to a floor vote in the senate.

[Guitar Shark]

Originally posted by knuckleboner
there's NO CHANCE that a draft gets passed.

Agreed.

[FORD]

I don't think Rangel expects it to pass. He just wants to slap the Republicans and the DLC'ers upside the head with a reality check (i.e. "what if it was YOUR kid over there")

[Guitar Shark]

I agree with that, too.

[EAT MY ASSHOLE]

And what about that Charles Rengel is a pederast and wants to have unconsented sex with all males who live within a 20 mile radius of the Space Needle? Do you agree with that too???

Jesus, Shark, you are such a yes-man...

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by sadaist
No #### dickwad. It's called sarcasm. I pointed it out because you changed the thread title because you didn't like it (WOW, there's something new for the Front Line). Yet whenever a Republican says or does something you disagree with, it represents all Republicans. ####### hypocrite. You make me sick.

Here you are since you must be having a "heavy day"...

Is this yet another time that you're wrong and can't back what you say with any specific example you stupid bitch?

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by sadaist
"Senior Democrat"

"An influential Democratic lawmaker"

"incoming chairman of the House of Representatives' tax-writing committee"

"to head the House Ways and Means Committee"

You said "DemocratS" as in plural, as in the entire Congress Feltchy McDumfvck...

This is not a Democratic platform, it's Rangel's personal pet-issue. And one I happen to agree with you crybaby.

Calm down, mmm'kay??????

Oh, and BTW, they're not "reinstating" the draft either, it's just a piece of legislation. This is only a Bill, and he'll stay that way until he's on capitol hill...



Check out School House Rocks™ for further information...

[DLR'sCock]

He doens't really want the draft I think, and he knows it will lose, but he is trying to make a political point and bring up the serisousness of going to war, too many people take the subject far too lightly whne it's not thmeselves and not their kids going to war. The debate as is too serious.