Do you support a mandatory draft for all kids who turn 18, like democrat Charles Rangel is suggesting?
916769
I think instituting the draft is a terrible idea. You will get undesirables in the military and those who should not be in the service. Bad idea if you ask me. To increase the number of military members, offer greater incentives, such as more money for college, or larger signing bonuses. Rangels idea is to bring back the draft so that our lawmakers think twice before sending their own kids into battle.
757479
The draft is a horrible idea.  I do think that because of video games, (such as Battlefield 2 and such) that people know very good tactics and such, but this is real life, most of the young people today could barely survive in the wild, so imagine a war.    \n\nMy solution to the problem would be this:\n\nThere needs to be a world power, to help with this evil (which is Al Qaida) which they are in Iraq, hence the name Al Qaida in Iraq, but at the same time we need to secure ourselves at home...  They say there are sleeper cells in America, well we need to find them, and make sure our borders are secure so we can prevent another 9/11.   \n\nBut  a draft would not solve anything, only thing it would do is put more of our young men and women in Iraq.   That Charles Rangel guy is a nut case, why would he think of a way for us to leave Iraq by sending thousands more?!?
785831
I saw on CNN last night that to be as effective as we were in world war 2 we would have to increase our military to over 400,000 troops. that would be 14 soldiers for every thousand Iraqis' that would mean a large scale draft and many many opinions support that idea. our allies seem to be going out the backdoor and practically the whole world thinks we should too. there's no way to leave this war and save face unless we win and the only way to win is a draft and I don't support a draft. many others don't either. I say start now pulling them out slowly. maybe some of them could come home for Christmas
911061
1.  It would be political suicide for the dems to attempt such a thing.\n\n2.  If we get a draft, it will be Charlie Rangel's baby.  \n\n3.  Wait until your new Congress takes their seats, and watch what they do.\n\n4.  The veto power is just that:  The President's right to veto.  It's true for every President, and Mr. Bush did not invent it.\n\nHappy Thanksgiving.
105356
Hey, you can vote, you can die for your country, but you can't buy a drink. I'd prefer leaving the voting and drinking as is and get rid of the part that allows an 18 year old to die for his country in war.
746476
You gullible people.  As much as I would like to see one, there won't be one.  \n\nIt's election time!  Can't you see you are being sucked into the Demosocialisticrat's  psychological campaign tactics?  \n\nIf not, please DON'T vote!  \n\nThere seems to be no shortage of enlistees at the recruiters' offices.  \n\nI support a draft and I support our troops but I do not neccessarily support the war.  How you ask?  Simple.\n\nMaybe the fear of a draft will wake the lazy, irresponsible, ignorant young people in our country today, the hell up and they will find out that their percious "freedoms" which they like to abuse and take forgranted is not FREE!  \n\nThe rich will dodge the responsibilities of duty and the leftisit will cry like they did in the 70's.  Run away then, there's always Mexico and Canada, or maybe New York, that's where the Clintons went.  Bill avoided the world issues while in office for 8 years while the Dems were "in power".  So why are we still having problems now?  If they could have done it better, why didn't they back then?  Now a draft?  Something tells me that we are ALL getting screwed here in the next 4 years!  \n\nWasn't the whole IDEA of there being a draft brought up by a Democrat IMPLYING that the Republicans may initiate one?  \n\nAnd people fell for it!  I don't recall anyone saying there was going to be a draft!  \n\nI can support the draft because I already did my 11 years in the Marine Corps.  I volunteered to go.  I took my commitment seriously, and I would do it all over agian, even if it killed me.  How many others can honestly say that?\n\nIf they were to recall me, I would gladly go.  It was my job and my life for a long time, why should I complain?  It was my choice to begin with.
784585
No. Plenty of volunteers are available. Not to mention a draft outside of invasion or imminent danger would tear the country to shreds.
363089
Women should be drafted.  As much as it would be a drag for my daughter to be drafted, if I expect her to have equal rights and opportunities everywhere, then this should be no exception.\n\nIdeally, there should be NO draft at all, but I worry that an all-volunteer force won't be enough for another four years of a republican president.
1050433
When we get so over-extended that bringing back the draft becomes a real possibility. This war or police action is a mess. I would not want my son ( he is nine) risking for a military venture that is this badly planned. I am not sure If George W.  would go to Iraq. Do they serve Jack Daniels there?
47025
I would not wait to be drafted.  But I have served my time during the "First Gulf War" and am now considered to old for military service.\n\nIf called back to duty - I would go without question.
946554
Representative Rangel is the only one saying he wants to start a draft.  People in his own party are quietly shouting him down.\n\nThe last time he presented a bill to start a draft, he voted against his own bill!!!\n\nHis ideas about the military are convoluted.  We currently have the best military in the world.  He thinks a volunteer army attracts the poor, dumb, minorities and otherwise disadvantaged.  It has not happened.\n\nHe also thinks, if there is a draft, and family members of Congress are drafted, Congress will not vote to send them to war.  When we had the draft in the past:  WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Congressmen did vote to go to war.  So none of claims are true.  None of his ideas have merit.
934546
No. At 18, most young people are mature and ready through their education to make intelligent decisions. Most will be seniors in high school or graduated. I do not think those who are under 18 have the education, life experience, or knowledge to make such important decisions.\n\nChow!!
1041097
FIrst of all it would take an amendment to the Constitution to enact the draft again. It's not likely to happen unless the military is heavily burdened and/or loses a significant number of soldiers. The draft would likely include men and women, although depending on the need I would think it would mostly affect men, ages 18-25. There's no telling if they'll ever enact it again, but they're considering passing a law requiring EVERY person to do some sort of civil service.
857155
Actually, the debate was: it was not right that 18-year-olds had to die but yet they couldn't vote. When the government amended the constitution to allow 18-year-olds to vote, they considered that age to be mature enough to drink. The other issue was the draft was only calling the men. Today, with EOE it is only fair that everyone that gets the call gets to go. And, don't think the draft isn't possible. Truman reinstated the draft two years after the end of WWII when we were in peacetime because the Republicans thought they saw communists everywhere.
845403
An interesting bit of legislation... the KEY is though : "Rangel said his legislation on the draft would also offer the alternative of a couple of years of public service with educational benefits."\n\nThat sounds an awful lot like selective "deferments"... who will be ELIGIBLE for this "alternative public service" ?\n\nAlternative Public Service sounds to me like a cute new form of welfare !!\n\nPersonally, unless we get involved in a MAJOR land war (watch Mexico, Cuba, and Venzuala) I don't see any reason or logic for a draft... volunteers are better motivated, disciplined, and less trouble.\n\nServed 15 yrs and now too old for draft OR volunteer service.
383373
I don't think so. I don't think one should be allowed to do a bunch of the things that are legal at 18...Voting, Smoking, Entering the military.. I think that at least when your 21 you are mature enough to handle these kind of things.
682952
No. I think that's a horrible idea. We want military troops who are Americans and are willing to die for their own country, not forced or coerced...that would not only mean they wouldn't do a good job for us, but it would be another thing for them to cry about..."My son went to war for you...so now you have to let all fifty of his closest relatives in for free and in the front of the line!" \nNO THANKS!