[lbo-talk] The Draft Is Back

[Seth Ackerman]

From: "Dennis Perrin" <dperrin at comcast.net>

> > These bills were sponsored by Democrats (Rangel and Hollings) more than
a
> > year ago to embarrass the president. They're not going to become law.
>
> What makes you say that?

Like I said, the House bill was introduced by Charlie Rangel last year
before the war as a way of bashing Bush. The Republicans denounced him for
grandstanding and pulling a political stunt and they wheeled out some
generals to reassure everyone there won't be a draft. In the House, you
can't even get a floor vote without Hastert's (and therefore Karl Rove's)
permission -- I really doubt they'll be voting on Rangel's anti-Bush bill,
and if they did it would obviously lose.

I'm not saying there will never ever be a draft. But this is far from
evidence that one is coming. They might need to call a draft for selected
specialties - technicians with skills in short supply. That would be bad for
Bush -- it would hit the middle-income systems analyst swing-voter in
suburban Denver -- but I don't think they'll be calling up hundreds of
thousands of people.

Seth