in other news, mccain's support amongst young affluent men has dropped by 80%

I can understand the reasoning behind reinstituting the draft. In some ways, it's better for the military, in that it is more likely to get a cross-section of people.

I don't think the draft is necessary now, but I get the reasoning.

Yeah, the draft has its appeal. Right now, poverty and lack of options function as a de facto draft, so we get armed forces made up overwhelmingly of the poor, who are sent off to their deaths by elites who are far less likely to have close relatives among the ranks. A little more economic diversity in the armed forces might make our leaders and their well-heeled campaign contributors think twice about an invade-first-ask-questions-later approach to foreign policy.

So I don't know if I really want a draft, but I can't just dismiss out of hand, feel me?

You all don't really think that if the draft got re-instated that anyone with any wherewithal would go, do you? Vietnam was filled with poor urban and poor country youth, but most people with an iota of income found a way to get a deferment for their child. If the draft were to be re-instated tomorrow, the wealthy still wouldn't put their kids on the line.

LOL, I think this is being blown out of proportion. Politicians when they are on stage have to be careful about disagreeing with audience members. It's easier for him to say, "I fully agree," than "Well, Ma'am, you're right on X and Y, but I disagree with Z because…" I don't think he thinks that reinstating a military draft is an option. I think we Americans are cowardly and apathetic when it comes to politics (I'm still waiting for the uprising against the 2000 and 2004 election scandals), but surely a draft would cause major conflict. After all, most of us nowadays claim to be against these wars, but wait! Don't we have a prison problem? "Death row or military duty?" Oh, and don't we have a zillion 25 to lifers as well? That would save tax payers a lot of money and criminals could redeem themselves. They could die in combat (=defending our freedom) instead of on the chair.

@ Khia213: I know you're right that the rich always find a way to get out of stuff like the draft, but I have the impression that the armed forces were at least somewhat more economically diverse during the Vietnam War, and certainly they were during WWII. I would love to know hard numbers on this. Also, in my ideal world, if we had a draft, it would be nearly impossible for rich folks to get out of it on bogus grounds. But I know better than to think that would happen.

what khia said.

cosign Josh.