Tuesday, December 13, 2011
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The World War II draft issue brings to mind some thoughts I wish to share.
We no longer have a draft in the United States. It was done away with many years ago. We have a volunteer military service.
We are also in three wars at this time. Some of which, if not all of which, may have been unnecessary. Many lives lost and bodies maimed participating in unwarranted encounters.
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First, I believe if there were a draft, there would be fewer wars. Congressman would be reluctant to support wars with a constituency back home telling them that they were not in favor of the war. Unless a World War II situation, no parent wants a child to fight in a war. The President and Congress would both be subject to heavier political constraints regarding war if the people of the nation had a greater influence in whether war should be declared.
It is easy to sit in Washington and say we have to go to this country or that country or we need boots on the ground in this country. Not so if those who are doing the actual fighting are generally from a draft program. There would be a severe reluctance on the part of elected officials to engage in wars.
I say bring back the draft.
Second, I am distrustful of a professional military. I have been so for many years. I primarily do not trust the generals.
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Suggest that your fears about Congress and wars is understated if anything.
I remember when politicians always had to have a military record to get elected. Preferable having had to have been somewhere getting shot at. The theory was that they’d be less likely to risk our girls and boys. Heinlein was right; only vets should be able to vote. (ref Starship Troopers. The book; not the movie.)
Unfortunately, in addition to not requiring our politicians to be anything but “handsome” (i.e., BHO44 as an example), we’ve allowed a whole class of “chicken hawks” into the political arena. Tough talk but it’s not their [[plural synonym for donkeys]] going out to fight.
As a little L libertarian, I don’t want “wars”. I won’t back away from a fight, but I won’t start them either. Who in the current debates, other than Ron Paul, is the “peace candidate”?
With Respect To a military takeover, I’m, more afraid of the civilians who run the current mess in DC. Warfare / welfare state with a dumb “We, The Sheeple” electorate who are too stupid to see we are getting in so many ways we can’t keep track of them.
The Dead Old White Guys made some mistakes: (1) should have made it tougher to change the Constitution; (2) should have had the death penalty for malfeasance or infringing rights; (3) should have outlawed Gooferment Skrules; (4) should have had the President have to be Governor and (5) should have made money a commodity — not paper.
… Oh yeah, they did that last one. But the cockroaches in DC got around that WITHOUT amending the Constitution. (The Federal Reserve System, faith-based money [[it’s money because of legal tender laws]] is the ROOT of all our problems. Allows “print and spend” and its cousin “borrow and spend” for warfare AND welfare. The inflation tax!)
But, then they couldn’t have imagined how stupid “We, The Sheeple” could become.
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Reinke Faces Life 