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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Joe Btfsplk who wrote (491414)	6/18/2012 2:36:19 PM
From: DMaA	2 Recommendations Respond to of 793838

Notice they aren't saying we need conscription for any military reason. They want to use 18 year old bodies as pawns in a political battle. I disagree.

To: Joe Btfsplk who wrote (491414)	6/18/2012 2:44:54 PM
From: goldworldnet	1 Recommendation Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793838

"Conscription may be the only way of putting a brake on the runaway war-making power of the president" So I'm not the first to reach that conclusion and to be clear you don't agree with it. I've pondered the pros and cons of a draft for many years and depending on my mood I've leaned both ways. However, just because you detest something that doesn't mean the object of your scorn has no merit. Taxes for example are loathed by most who pay them, but they are a necessary burden. What we see with taxes though, is that when the government reduces or eliminates that burden for some, the government increases it for others. It is only through increased participation that government is made accountable and that's my point. * * *

To: Joe Btfsplk who wrote (491414)	6/18/2012 3:00:34 PM
From: DMaA	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793838

Been a while since Unclewest brought up the draft. Usually he floats the balloon it every six months or so.

To: Joe Btfsplk who wrote (491414)	6/19/2012 6:09:33 AM
From: unclewest	20 Recommendations Read Replies (5) \| Respond to of 793838

I detest conscription; Then you must be a happy camper. America has not drafted anyone since 1973. Better to have a country where a majority believe it's worth defending. Concur. But beliefs define us and they are taught. Someone has to do the teaching. I detest war. I detest the states of communism, socialism, barbarism, anarchy, and sharia law more. GI's get a huge wake up call when they visit a country where the people are not free. Humans are the bloodiest of all animals. We have a lot of ambitious bad people. Humans cannot be unarmed and incapable of self defense and remain free. The earth does not go around that way. The draft gives every American family a personal stake in the defense of our Constitution and our freedoms. The draft helps level the working, playing and fighting fields for every American citizen and immigrant. The draft is a big brake on a war mongering Congress or President, because everyone is paying attention. They pay attention and make sure their voices are heard because every family has something precious at stake including the families of Congress and the President. Our freedoms remained intact with generally lower levels of internal disruption when we had a draft. The draft dodgers of the 60s may have acted illegally but they had a legitimate beef. We had 560,000 troops in a poorly managed and lost war. Our troops are in several poorly managed wars today, but so few American families have a stake, they don't complain. Now our freedoms are being encroached upon everyday by our big government elitists. The draft brings American elitism down a few notches. All American youth need the lessons learned from the maturation process that develops after spending a year or two years living and working closely with folks who are a little different from what they are used to. The draft enables us to raise and disband large fighting forces quickly and economically. We have lost that capability. We have professionalized our armed forces. Troops stay on active duty much longer now. A significantly fewer number of Americans are getting basic military training. The draft shortens the average tour of duty. Like Switzerland, every neighborhood in America would be safer with more trained military veterans living in them. "Freedom is not free. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." That is not a trite phrase. Since 1776, it is a proven truth. I believe the reason more and more Americans are willingly giving up their personal freedoms to live on government dole is because they they don't now and never did have a personal stake in their own freedoms, and they haven't seen, smelled, or experienced how bad it really can get. Unless we see dramatic changes in personal attitudes and government financial actions, soon they will get to taste the bitter too.