Charlie Rangel and the draft

G

gburner

New member
Amid internet rumors started by lefist fearmongers and appeasers that a Bush re-election will result in the re-insttution of the draft, Charles Rangel, one of the left's biggest entitlement hogs at the trough, is sponsoring legislation to do just that. Claiming (falsely) that a disproportionate number of military folks engaged in combat are of lower income and/or minority status, Rangels postion is that a draft would cause 'folks who support the war and don't have to make a sacrifice' to think differently about our involvement in Iraq.

Dick Cheney, earlier this week, stated that 'no responsible person in any position of authority in this administration is considering the re-establishment of a draft. It's not gonna happen'.

What say you, campers. Who's got the fertilizer consession on this one? Discuss amongst yourselves. I need to load some magazines.
 
I tend to think Cheney's statements are correct. Here are some facts to support it.

1. The current "all volunteer" military personnel roster is higher than it has been since before 9/11.

2. The draft was done away with by Republican Richard Nixon.

3. The SECDEF for the Nixon administration at the time was Donald Rumsfeld.

Some food for thought.
 
garettwc,

Rumsfeld served as Ford's SecDef, not Nixon's. Rumsfeld held a number of positions in the Nixon White House, including Assistant to the President, and Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity. He was also Ambassador to NATO in 1973 and 1974.

This guy gets around.
 
Let me take you back to the early 60's . I took my little test downtown Manhattan while in the process of joining Uncle Sams Army . As we were herded down a few flights of stairs a fella that fits Rangels description of "minority" asked me what I got on my test . I had already looked and saw my score was 86 . He was staring at his . It was 14 . I told him that all this paperwork confused me so I had no idea where to look . The conversation was over . Upon arrival at Fort Dix we were issued all our stuff . The next day we started taking tests . As they were quickly corrected guys were asked to follow the sargeant and perform clean up duties while the rest took more tests . As they were corrected more guys were asked to leave . Those of us that made it to the end took the admission test for OCS . The next day we were once again "herded" into a big room with church type pews for seating . 6 or 7 sargeants were seated at desks and called guys up one at a time to discuss their futures . They had a list for each guy indicating what the tests had determined to be jobs best suited to them . The ones that Rangel and his ilk are referring to had a very short list to choose from . Infantry was at the top . Depending on the "wants and needs" of the Army there were few second choices . This puts them closest to the front . Better chance of getting shot . I wonder if Rangel even knows ...... or cares .
 
The military itself has zero interest in reviving the draft. It's purely a political issue. The last thing today's armed forces need is a bunch of unwilling and sullen draftees. The program was a massive failure in Vietnam, and would be an even more massive failure on today's shifting set of battlefields.
 
garettwc,

Rumsfeld served as Ford's SecDef, not Nixon's. Rumsfeld held a number of positions in the Nixon White House, including Assistant to the President, and Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity. He was also Ambassador to NATO in 1973 and 1974.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I'll have to check my sources. The news report I had heard listed Rumsfeld as SecDef. I should know better than to trust the TV news after the last 3-4 weeks.
 
Sec. of Defense Rumsfeld is on public record being against the draft. He thinks the two year enlistment was/is too short to make good soldiers. I found that kind of insulting beings that I was a draftee and I considered myself good troop.

But I imagine with the military getting more and more complicated, a two year hitch may not make sense anymore.

By the way, when I got drafted out of Washington DC in 1966 we were first sent to Balitimore for tests and physicals. We had about 300 black guys and about 30 white guys. At the end of the day, about half black guys and one white guy were sent back home. Not sure what that meant then or now.
 
I guess I'm the odd man out here but the draft is needed and in time will
return, too many young people feel they should not have to serve in anyway
shape or form, many will bring up the "I won't be a slave" speech, however
many people through our history have died so this group of young folks can be
free.
Some of the best soldiers I met were drafted, many came in with attitude
and became excellent soldiers, stayed in serving 20+ years. Sorry I dont
buy the idea that an all volunteer Army is good for America.

Draft...with no exceptions.
 
I have to go with wingman. Having just graduated from high school, I will say that most of us would be much better off in two years if we were drafted. Right now, there are simply too many liberal, 'if we don't attack them, they won;t attack us' type young people, who don;t realize that freedom is not free. I would only think that if if they were drafted, their views may be a little different.
 
Having just graduated from high school, I will say that most of us would be much better off in two years if we were drafted. Right now, there are simply too many liberal, 'if we don't attack them, they won;t attack us' type young people, who don;t realize that freedom is not free. I would only think that if if they were drafted, their views may be a little different.
Click to expand...

The point of a draft is not to make people better citizens or teach them civics. The point of a draft is to get people that are needed to fight a large scale war. Right now, except for the National Guard, the military is exceeding it's recuiting goals. The only ones talking about a draft are the Democrats.

Todays military members are better educated and better motivated than at any time in our history. This is a result of the voluntary military system. Wingman is correct that some of the past draftees were good troops, but I also know many that were poor examples trying anything to get out asap. That is not much of a problem today.
 
Paratrooper-
FWIW, and I don't like the man's politics at all, Charlie Rangel quit high school, joined the Army, fought in the Korean war, winning a bronze star and a purple heart. IMO he SHOULD know, but there are those few who go thru the experience and still don't get it.
 
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