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Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) likely will introduce his controversial legislation to reinstate the draft again this year, but he will wait until after the economic stimulus package is passed.
Asked if he plans to introduce the legislation again in 2009, Rangel last week said, “Probably … yes. I don’t want to do anything this early to distract from the issue of the economic stimulus.”
But Rangel told The Hill that he recently heard talk about rewarding mandatory service with two years of college credit.
“That doesn’t make sense,” he said. “People shouldn’t have to join the military to get an education.”
A decorated Korean War veteran and a member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, Rangel argues that the burden of fighting wars falls disproportionately on low-income people and that cost should be borne more broadly.
If a draft had been in place in 2002 when members were making the decision on whether to support the war in Iraq, Rangel has said, Congress never would have approved the war resolution, because the pressure from constituents would have been too great.
With the Iraq war off the front page and the economic crisis taking center stage, nerves are not as raw on the topic of strain on the military as they were a few years ago, so Rangel’s legislation may not make as many waves this time around.
But some Democrats — even one who supported Rangel’s efforts in the past — are a little perplexed about his plans to reintroduce the legislation, especially now that President-elect Obama is poised to take over the White House.
But Rangel told The Hill that he recently heard talk about rewarding mandatory service with two years of college credit.
I just called my sister - as she has a 16 year old - they will definitely move out of the country if a military draft is enacted.
Originally posted by questioningall
[I am shocked a Democrat is the one, who is introducing it on the floor. I had thought for sure, Bush would have reinstated the draft.
Originally posted by NightSkyeB4Dawn
What good would a college education do you when we have a country full of college graduates already out of work?