Feeling a Draft?

"Rahm Emanuel has also called for universal service. His plan would be for those 18 to 25. All Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 should be asked to serve their country by going through three months of basic civil defense training and community service. This is not a draft, nor is it military. Young people will be trained not as soldiers, but simply as citizens who understand their responsibilities in the event of a natural disaster, an epidemic or a terrorist attack. Universal citizen service will bring Americans of every background together to make America safer and more united in common purpose.

"Before the 2004 election, the Democrats were happy to scare young people into voting for Kerry for fear that Bush was planning to reinstate the draft. Of course, Bush and his administration have been adamantly opposed to such an idea. I suspect that most of the military would object to renewing the draft. They want to work with volunteers who will stick around and get the training necessary in today's fighting. They don't want a bunch of disgruntled conscripts who are looking to serve their time and get out as soon as possible. And even if you grant Emanuel's idea of just mandating some sort of service in the hopes that this would somehow bring everyone into an understanding of their responsibilities as citizens, the concept is just bogus.

"Why limit it to just young people? Shouldn't the middle-aged be united in a common purpose to make America safer? Oh, they have careers and families. What about Rangel's idea of extending the requirement until age 42? He doesn't seem concerned about that."

Lawrence O'Donnell cheers Rangel on:

"Well over 95% of Americans, including Congress and White House staff, have no personal connection to this war--no relative or friend serving in Iraq. Over 99% of us have made no sacrifice for this war--we have not paid one more penny of taxes nor shed a drop of family blood. One of my military relatives thinks of it this way: 'The American military is at war, but America is not at war.'

"Advocating war is easier when you and your family are not endangered by it. I've reached a Rangel-like breaking point with my TV pundit colleagues who championed the Iraq war and now say we can't leave even if we went there for the wrong reasons. For every one of them, I have a simple question: Why aren't you in Iraq? Or why did you avoid combat in your generation's war? The one unifying characteristic that all of us men in make-up on political chat shows share is fear of combat. Every one of us has done everything we can to avoid combat or even being fitted for a military uniform. Just like George Bush, Bill Clinton, and Dick Cheney, we are all combat cowards."

Gina Cobb takes a bold position against the idea:

"So Charles Rangel's position is:

"1. Everyone in America should be forced by law to work for the government (or for someone approved by the government) for two years -- either for no pay or for minimal pay.

"2. The two years of work should be demanded, not due to any national emergency of any kind, but as a political stunt to influence national policy.

"3. In service of this political stunt, people should be forced to work at wherever the government dictates -- even for what should be private employers like hospitals, seaports and airports.

"In other words, Democrat Charles Rangel advocates two years of slavery for every adult in America."