It only takes a few – particularly, a few with the right skills to insure that serving on a draft board means having the credit rating of the guy who sleeps on a heat grate in between rants about CIA implant chips and the employability of Michael Jackson applying to a day care center.
Two months, max, and they’ll be trying to figure out how to draft people to run the draft board.
Any politician/political group trying to bring the draft back would be shooting themselves in the balls, politically.
I’ll tell you why. Because the OP is hypothesizing what would happen if the draft were instituted right now. He starts with a faulty premise-- that “politicians” keep bringing it up, as if this were a common occurrence-- and then goes to say how it would damage the country. Well, of course it would because we don’t need a draft and there is 0% probability that we’ll get one anytime soon.
Now, if conditions changed, and we found ourselves in another WWII type situation, then the draft might be re-instituted. But conditions would have changed, and therefore people would almost certainly be more receptive.
As it is, though, the OP is essentially asking: What if 2+2=5?
I said it’s a duty. I didn’t say that I’ll necessarily live up to it.
I devoted considerable thought to this two years ago, when my son turned 18, at which time it seemed like every time you turned around the Bush administration was issuing press releases insisting that “no, we are NOT considering reinstating the draft”. Being a cynic with 40 years experience with U.S. politics, I thought they protested just a tad too much, and so I sat down and thought about this.
I came to the conclusion that I would do whatever it took to get him to Canada, up to and including moving to Canada myself, with or without my husband.
ETA: I also briefly considered starting a website, and a movement, a la Cindy Sheehan, called notwithmysonyoudon’t.com. But discarded it upon realizing that I’m not really the activist type. But I was that angry. And I’m generally a liberal Republican, or a Conservative Democrat, and I don’t happen to think George W. Bush is the Antichrist. That tell the OP anything?
You’re right, I should have said "talking heads keep mentioning that one or two times back then when some politicians mentioned it.
[/quote]
But still, it does come up. And it’s not just Dems/Libs. Some lower-level guy in the Bush administration brought it up as a “distinct possibility” just a week or two ago. I wish I could remember his name, but anyway, I seed it with ma own two eyes. (On the radio.)
-FrL-
If I’m not mistaken, outside of the 1940-1973 window, for over 80% of the total lifetime of the USA the norm has been voluntary service for the regular forces (in the old times every man had to be in the militia), and up until the Cold War era the draft was only used during actual wartime or the preparations towards it, particularly the Civil War, WW1 and WW2. The period between Korea and Vietnam, of a “peacetime” draft to help man the Standing Army rather than for wartime mobilization, was what was the novelty.
Thank you.
And no, if drafted, my son would not serve; he’d be right with me on plans to cross the border somewhere in North Dakota.
Douglas Lute, on All Things Considered, NPR, August 10. You didn’t imagine it. I heard it, too.
“This has always been an option on the table…” Like it’s up to him…
Your post went right over my head, Steve. I have no idea what you mean.
Marc
Its sort of like if you started a thread in GD and said “Well, if space aliens came down to earth and started to eat our brains, would you fight or join the new evil overlords?”…and the OP was serious. Sure, some folks would answer the question (most likely tongue in cheek), others would just make witty comments…but there would always be a few that would say “well, you know, its pretty inprobable that space alien brain suckers would REALLY invade the earth. Or if they did, they probably wouldn’t let you join in.” Sure, we can shoot the shit and speculate freely about such an improbable event…but its reasonable to point out just how remote the possibility is, no?
Since your comment followed my own, I will assume it was at least partially pointed at me…so I will point out that I DID actually answer the OP. The obvious answer is that it would vary. By and large I think most people would not run off to Canada or fight the gubberment…they would simply go if they were called up. Reluctantly. Dragging their feet. Bitching and moaning the whole time. But they’d go.
Fortunately for us all those space aliens aren’t likely to invade looking for brains to eat.
-XT
He is implying that, as soon as folks with the ability to impact things like someones credit rating and such determine who is working on the draft board, they would find their credit rating plummeting and other hardships of that nature.
Which I sincerly doubt would happen.
I have a son who will turn 9 in December. I’m half way to having to worry about this as a parent.
My current thought is that, in the event it happens and my son is drafted (which I doubt will happen, barring a fundamental shift in US policiy or government), I will do my best to help him adjust to the military lifestyle.
I hope that I will have raised my son to do what is “right” rather than what is “popular”. While I may not agree with some aspects of whatever government is in charge, there is a price to pay for living in this country (as in any country). Taxes is one, the possibiity of a draft is another. I am, for now, past draft age (and am 4F regardless), but it was a price I may have had to pay.
I have a son who turns 18 next May so I’m rather freaked about this. Canada may or may NOT be thrilled with 10 or 15 million sudden immigrants to their borders.
Then again, I find nothing heroic at all about handing him over for voluntary dismemberment and death so that Halliburton can increase their quarterly profits a bit more.
Nothing at all.
Cartooniverse
As Duck Duck Goose noted, that “lower-level guy” was Doug Lute…Bush’s “War Czar”. Not exactly lower-level, if you ask me.
Except that Lute didn’t “bring it up”. He was answering a question that a reporter asked him. Read about it in this thread. The reporter was fishing for some headline grabbing material.
I would tell them I was gay. I am actually gay, so that has the benefit of being true. No draft for me!
Like we’d get that many. You just would not see many people leave. People are sheep.
We’ll be happy with what we do get. We need more people.
Assuming a war like the one we have today, I think the level of resistance would be much higher than 40 years ago. Back then, when I was draft age, our fathers got drafted for the good war, and a lot more were of the opinion that service is always good. Lots of parents today, like me, either are too young for the draft, lucked out and missed it, like me, or got drafted for what they feel is a worthless more. I suspect there will be a lot more parental support for evasion than there was 40 years ago.
In addition, say Bush pushes through a draft for an unpopular war. I’d suspect that when the Dems took over there would be a very fast blanket amnesty for resistors.
If there was a war with wide popular support things would be different.
Even if they’re Americans? 
And lets remember that as far as the draft is concerned, the Dems have already taken over. It’s the legislative branch that ultimately decides whether we have a draft or not.