A New Selective Service Draft

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Gordon Jacobson <gaj () portman com>
Date: September 12, 2004 5:24:30 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: A New Selective Service Draft

As usual, your poster has his own agenda.  Here is a far more balanced 
view of his remarks:


The House bill is sponsored by Charlie "Rangell" and has a bunch of 
Democrat
co-sponsors.

The Senate bill is sponsored by Hollings and has no cosponsors.

Rangel promotes his bill on TV.  It is clear to me that the authors of 
these bills are not promoting them to enhance our military readiness.

In fact I believe it an attempt to undermine support for Bush and the 
war. It is an attempt to scare middle-class, white America by saying 
"We're going to have to draft your sons and daughters if you continue 
to support Bush and the war."

I suspect the bills have no chance of passing, but whenever they come 
up for vote, Democrats will probably attempt to take credit for voting 
them down.

Blacks and Hispanics are over-represented in the volunteer Army because 
they are mostly getting what they signed up for: They are out of 
Rangel's ghetto; they have pretty good jobs and they are learning 
trades that will be of value if they decide to leave the service.

Blacks and Hispanics ARE NOT over-represented in combat troops.  Combat 
troops (and combat deaths, to be more specific) reflect the general 
ethnic make-up of the country on a percentage basis.

The administration has not expressed any interest in these bills that I 
know of.  Rumsfeld is a big proponent of a volunteer army... small, 
well-trained high-tech and fast on their feet.

The current force is very good at what it does.  No question it has met 
some resistance in recent months, but casualties are still very, very 
low by historic standards for an endeavor of this size.  Were we to 
flood Iraq and Afghanistan with newly drafted troops the conflict would 
not end any quicker, but I am sure you would see a dramatic increase in 
US casualties.

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