Rep. Charles Rangel Liberal at his Best!

[Guest alsfirefighter]

This is a staunch liberal congressman, whom if you want insight into most true liberals, he takes the cake. Institute the draft to deter politicians from waging war. Wake up my man. The fundamental extremist muslims have their own system of drafts and their tactics are way the hell off of ours as far as "war" goes. These are the people who weaken us as a nation and put you, our brothers and sisters and fellow americans at risk with banter like this. They empower our enemies to continue their cowardess onslaught of IED's and terrorism in Iraq and abroad. They can't fight us head to head, so they use tactics that get liberals like this congressman on TV saying how we should pull out and institute drafts which he very well knows will turn the public opinion totally on the war and that is what our enemy is trying to do. I'm glad this moron doesn't represent me.

Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., said Sunday he sees his idea as a way to deter politicians from launching wars.

"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way," Rangel said.

Rangel, a veteran of the Korean War who has unsuccessfully sponsored legislation on conscription in the past, has said the all-volunteer military disproportionately puts the burden of war on minorities and lower-income families.

Rangel said he will propose a measure early next year. While he said he is serious about the proposal, there is little evident support among the public or lawmakers for it.

In 2003, Rangel proposed a measure covering people age 18 to 26. It was defeated 402-2 the following year. This year, he offered a plan to mandate military service for men and women between age 18 and 42; it went nowhere in the Republican-led Congress.

Democrats will control the House and Senate come January because of their victories in the Nov. 7 election.

At a time when some lawmakers are urging the military to send more troops to Iraq, "I don't see how anyone can support the war and not support the draft," said Rangel, who also proposed a draft in January 2003, before the U.S. invasion of Iraq. "I think to do so is hypocritical."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Standby Reserve, said he agreed that the U.S. does not have enough people in the military.

"I think we can do this with an all-voluntary service, all-voluntary Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy. And if we can't, then we'll look for some other option," said Graham, who is assigned as a reserve judge to the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.

Rangel, the next chairman of the House tax-writing committee, said he worried the military was being strained by its overseas commitments.

"If we're going to challenge Iran and challenge North Korea and then, as some people have asked, to send more troops to Iraq, we can't do that without a draft," Rangel said.

He said having a draft would not necessarily mean everyone called to duty would have to serve. Instead, "young people (would) commit themselves to a couple of years in service to this great republic, whether it's our seaports, our airports, in schools, in hospitals," with a promise of educational benefits at the end of service.

Graham said he believes the all-voluntary military "represents the country pretty well in terms of ethnic makeup, economic background."

Repeated polls have shown that about seven in 10 Americans oppose reinstatement of the draft and officials say they do not expect to restart conscription.

Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told Congress in June 2005 that "there isn't a chance in the world that the draft will be brought back."

Yet the prospect of the long global fight against terrorism and the continuing U.S. commitment to stabilizing Iraq have kept the idea in the public's mind.

The military drafted conscripts during the Civil War, both world wars and between 1948 and 1973. An agency independent of the Defense Department, the Selective Service System, keeps an updated registry of men age 18-25 - now about 16 million - from which to supply untrained draftees that would supplement the professional all-volunteer armed forces.

Rangel and Graham appeared on "Face the Nation" on CBS.

[turk182 37]

oh brother please

I think you have your morons confused

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

It is not that bad of an idea if you want to end this war or any war but it is a little radical

[Guest]

The military draft system is in place today with staffing, infrastructure, rules and guidelines.

It just has never been activated since the end of the Vietnam War. However, if in a crisis, the need for additional manpower arises beyond the current volunteer system every 18 to 25 yr. old's name is ready to be placed in the Lottery.

According to current plans, Selective Service must deliver the first inductees to the military within 193 days from the onset of a crisis.

Please refer to:

http://www.sss.gov/WHHAP.HTM

[jloftus 28]

Rangel is without a doubt the biggest disgrace in Congress.

If you listen to him long enough anybody with a clue knows his agenda.

Charlie has no respect for the office of the President, one can make a point and still show some respect for another person , chuckles doesnt have a clue.

And best of all, he represents the district I work, big ,big disgrace.

[JBE 328]

Wait a second, an all volunteer military is disporportionately made up of lower income and minority type people?? I beg to differ.

I served in the military from 1992-1996. I came from a good home with great parents. Many of the people I met and served with came from the same background. We all had one thing in common, we wanted to serve our country. I'm not going to deny that there are plenty of people who do join the service as an alternative to the scourges of poverty and other ills that plague the big cities. Others join to get away from the boredom of home, which is another reason I joined up. I guess I, and many others are an exception to the rule.

The only thing Rep. Rangel has done to impress me was when he blasted the President of Venezuela for badmouthing President Bush on a visit to Harlem. And even that wasn't very impressive. It was almost like, Hey buddy, don't talk smack about my president. There's enough people in this country, myself included, who do it as it is."

[Guest]

I am closing this thread due to personal attacks on a serving member of the US House of Representatives.

We all have our personal political affiliations. We all subscribe to various political ideologies. There are politicians we personally respect and, those we do not.

However, this Forum is not the place to print personal attacks on members of Congress, the President, members of State legislatures, Governors, Mayors, Fire Commissioners, Village Trustees or, our 5,000+ fellow members.

Thank you for your understanding.