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16 comments

1
Big Beautiful Door  Feb 4, 2016 • 12:55:10pm

I voted no, because I think no-one should have to register. I can’t imagine a situation in which we would need to conduct a draft again.

2
ckkatz  Feb 4, 2016 • 1:01:51pm

re: #1 Big Beautiful Door

I guess that the question can be looked at from several different ways.

- One could be whether there should be a draft at all.

- A second could be whether all society members should share equally in society’s benefits and duties, regardless of gender. (Wording of this probably needs to be tightened up)

I suspect that there are additional ways to view the question. And yes, I could also be overthinking this.

I looked at the second approach.

But I agree with you that there are very valid arguments that there is no need for the draft at all.

3
CleverToad  Feb 4, 2016 • 2:34:10pm

There is currently no need for a draft.

If we get into a situation that warrants the use of a draft, it should be on record that we are drafting both men and women of the appropriate age and eligibility. Also redefine deferments: there are many young adults who are healthy but still unsuited to the military; however, their status should be based on their physical and mental capabilities, not their parents’ bank accounts. If the situation is that desperate, the frat kids don’t get off this time.

4
Great White Snark  Feb 4, 2016 • 2:35:35pm

The intended context of the question is that we could get into a war that requires the draft to start up. It’s a gender consideration poll not a draft poll. Think Korea for one easy example. Or a land invasion to get after ISIS in the event of a 9/11 or worse attack. Or even that the volunteer force becomes so under staffed that a draft becomes a necessity to maintain minimum capacity even in peacetime.

Neither of these scenarios are impossible. Both have been acknowledged by the JCS before.

5
Ziggy_TARDIS  Feb 4, 2016 • 2:48:40pm

Yes, and I think there should be some form of national service for 2 years. Doesn’t have to be military.

6
Decatur Deb  Feb 4, 2016 • 2:59:51pm

Voted “Yes”, on a construct of theoretical equality. In reality, that’s like signing everyone up for the Republican Guard Trebuchet Corps. The poll is off-kilter in that it really asks two questions: “Should there be a draft?” and “Should everyone be in it?”

The virtue of a compulsory national service, not especially military, can be debated on its own merits.

7
Decatur Deb  Feb 4, 2016 • 3:08:39pm

In 1967 I was in a community college history class on the GI Bill. It was taught by a young MA only a couple years older than myself. When we had our anti-war demonstration and awareness episodes, someone asked him if there should be a draft. He surprised everyone with “Yes, absolutely.” Kids were shocked at his generational deviance, but he returned with the deepest sentence in six years of college:

“Never give the generals an army they can trust.”

8
CuriousLurker  Feb 4, 2016 • 4:32:10pm

I voted yes. I’m with Deb on the reasons—he explained things in a much more concise & effective way than I ever could, so I have nothing else to add on that score.

I’m also in agreement with TARDIS that there should be some sort of mandatory national service foe everyone.

9
Big Beautiful Door  Feb 4, 2016 • 7:19:16pm

I very strongly disagree about mandatory national service. Taking two years away from a kid’s life to do make work when they could be getting an education or may have a child to support is, IMO, completely unjustifiable.

10
KingKenrod  Feb 4, 2016 • 8:43:14pm

I vote no, because there shouldn’t be a draft at all. I feel like registration was re-instituted because it creates this feeling that we are always on the cusp of war.

Also I think it’s a loser politically, the GOP will be all THEIR SENDING OUR DAUGHTERS TO DIEEEEEE.. No thanks.

Also being in the military basically means having your reproductive system regulated. Much more of a sacrifice for women, given their limited span where child bearing is healthy. So a draft isn’t really “equal” - we are asking women to give up much more.

Also no to national service, unless it’s voluntary.

11
John Vreeland  Feb 5, 2016 • 6:55:09am

As a military retiree, I don’t want a draft. Draftees cause cause so many problems that it is rarely worth the trouble.

12
calochortus  Feb 5, 2016 • 8:19:47am

I went with yes because I felt the basic question was whether young women should have the same obligations and rights as young men. There is some history of the “citizen soldier” which ties full citizenship to military service (see: Switzerland’s history on women’s suffrage.)

The draft itself is another question and the current registration is more of a rite of passage than anything else as we don’t have a draft at present.

13
No Country For Old Haters  Feb 5, 2016 • 11:59:34am

re: #9 Big Beautiful Door

I very strongly disagree about mandatory national service. Taking two years away from a kid’s life to do make work when they could be getting an education or may have a child to support is, IMO, completely unjustifiable.

They’d be doing actual work, and the point is to make people feel like they’re part of America. We could really use that. America has too many anti-government nuts who think their own government is the enemy, and don’t understand how to participant in a liberal democracy.

14
Big Beautiful Door  Feb 5, 2016 • 12:13:57pm

re: #13 No Country For Old Haters

They’d be doing actual work, and the point is to make people feel like they’re part of America. We could really use that. America has too many anti-government nuts who think their own government is the enemy, and don’t understand how to participant in a liberal democracy.

They will feel that even more when the government orders them to appear to do “slave labor.” I’m afraid this could backfire badly, with people refusing to report then brandishing guns when the feds show up with warrants. I also dislike taking kids and coercing them to do something they have no background in for low pay when there are people with families to support ready and able to do that work for an appropriate wage.

15
Jack Burton  Feb 5, 2016 • 12:21:28pm

re: #4 Great White Snark

The intended context of the question is that we could get into a war that requires the draft to start up. It’s a gender consideration poll not a draft poll. Think Korea for one easy example. Or a land invasion to get after ISIS in the event of a 9/11 or worse attack. Or even that the volunteer force becomes so under staffed that a draft becomes a necessity to maintain minimum capacity even in peacetime.

Neither of these scenarios are impossible. Both have been acknowledged by the JCS before.

It’s dubious that even these require a draft. I’d say no. Frankly anything short of “Russian Tanks rolling down Flatbush Avenue” isn’t anything that should require a draft, and when it gets to that point, they would likely have more volunteers than they could ever ask for.

An all-volunteer military is an unwritten part of the checks-and-balances system.

16
Jayleia  Feb 7, 2016 • 4:52:49am

I went with Yes.

I am against the draft, but I am not against registering for it. If things go bad enough that we need to start drafting people again, we probably need EVERYONE (and if its that bad, its not Russian tanks we need to worry about, but things like Chrysalids, Mutons, Faceless…)

Whether the registration was about making us feel constantly at the brink of war or not, what it is to me now is just a card I filled out and have forgotten about for over two decades.


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