eclecticism

Draft targeted to resume in spring 2005

05/24/2004 |

There have been rumors about this for a while now, but it’s been looking more and more likely all the time, and now the first major steps have been set in motion.

There is pending legislation in the House and Senate (twin bills: S 89 and HR 163) which will time the program’s initiation so the draft can begin at early as Spring 2005 — just after the 2004 presidential election. The administration is quietly trying to get these bills passed now, while the public’s attention is on the elections, so our action on this is needed immediately.
$28 million has been added to the 2004 Selective Service System (SSS) budget to prepare for a military draft that could start as early as June 15, 2005. Selective Service must report to Bush on March 31, 2005 that the system, which has lain dormant for decades, is ready for activation.

p>(via Phil)

iTunes: “I’m Too Sexy (Spanish)” by Right Said Fred from the album I’m Too Sexy (1991, 2:51).

« Shrek 2 | I’m so glad I don’t drive »

7 Responses to “Draft targeted to resume in spring 2005”

LAB-Y Says:
May 24th, 2004 at 5:56 am

Bills time draft to start just after election ?

Congress.org is reporting that two bills have been proposed, S 89 in the Senate and H…

CPS Says:
May 24th, 2004 at 7:54 am

FYI — You’ll note another article on the The AlterNet points out that this is an ANTI war stance, trying to force the White House to admit where their policy is going.

Do You Feel a Draft? By Katha Pollitt, The Nation May 23, 2004 Should the government bring back the draft? Republican Senator Chuck Hagel has been talking it up, and it has captured the imagination of many progressives as well. Last year antiwar Representative Charles Rangel of New York and Senator Fritz Hollings of South Carolina introduced proposals to restore the draft as a way to build opposition to the war: The draft, Rangel argued, would spread the burden of war throughout society and force war supporters in the upper classes to put their children where their mouths are. On paper, it’s a tempting argument. Universal conscription would certainly be a poke in the eye for Bush, Cheney, Wolfowitz, Feith, Perle and other prowar “chickenhawks” who used their social privilege to avoid Vietnam (“I had other priorities,” said the Vice President, who enjoyed no fewer than five deferments). In theory, the draft would give us an army of “citizen soldiers,” young men – and probably women – drawn from all parts of society, instead of the current Army, which draws heavily on military families, poor people and – to judge by Charles Graner, accepted into the Army in his early 30s despite a long history of violence and instability – wife-beating losers. For many, the draft summons up ideals of valor, adulthood, public service and self-sacrifice – shared self-sacrifice. Those are all good things, but the draft is still a bad idea.

Tim Who? Says:
May 24th, 2004 at 8:54 am

Anyone that thinks reinstating the draft will even things out between rich and poor just don’t understand how the US, the Draft and Politics work. The sons and daughters of the rich and powerful will NOT be drafted. They got out of it in the past and will get out of it in the future. Who the hell do they think they’re kidding?

The draft is being set in place so future Republicans (JEB BUSH) has access to a much larger army manpower base and can continue the march to war, the take over of the world and build up to Armageddon. Right now Bush does not have enough young men to sacrifice in his pursuit of power. So he’s taking steps now that will ensure Jeb Bush or another sympathetic Republican “Apostolic Christian” will not have this problem.

I can’t see how anyone up to date on current news could think I kidding or exaggerating in any way. This build up to the draft must be stopped now!

aethele Says:
May 24th, 2004 at 7:57 pm

Go Vote

I have always strongly believed in voting, believing that if you don’t exercise your responsibilities, minute as they may be, you have no entitlement to the rights of a democracy. Now, I’m even more fervent. (Oh, and btw, I come

authenticgeek Says:
May 30th, 2004 at 10:53 pm

[draft pun]

I can’t get away from the fact that everyone is mumbling over the draft being reinstated next year. While it seems a little early to assume anything is going to happen for sure, this article lays things pretty flat for anyone who has any questions abou…

authenticgeek Says:
May 30th, 2004 at 11:00 pm

[draft pun]

authenticgeek Says:
May 30th, 2004 at 11:02 pm

[draft pun]