Half-Bakered Supplement:
Texts of Democrat article and Sophie LaPaire email
The following is reprinted from The Democrat; June, 2004 issue.
(Note: spelling and punctuation as per original article.)
Draft Reinstated by April Of 2005, if Bush is Elected
by Roger Easson --Editor
In our inaugural issue, [November 2004], I wrote a short piece about The Pentagon's effort to replenish Selective Service Board membership. After a lull of nearly 30 years, many of the members of the nation's Selective Service Baords had retired, expired or despaired. If legislation were to pass, and if the Bush Administration chose to reinstate the Draft, the Selective Service Boards would have to be staffed anew. Accordingly, in October of 2003, the Pentagon's Website carried a call to serve.
The Editor of this Newspaper answered the call as much out of respect for the system as out of curiosity at what might be behind this Pentagon call. I filled out the web form that I would be willing to serve and sent it in.
Three weeks later, I received a telephone call from a recruiter asking if I were indeed interested. I affirmed that I was. Three weeks later, I was notified that a recruiter would be in Memphis to interview me for a position. That interview went very well: I interviewed the recruiter as much as he interviewed me. What I found out was that the Pentagon wanted to have a turn-key system in place should the Administration decide to return to the Draft.
Three weeks after this interview, I received a letter from Tennessee Governor Bredesen appointing me to a Selective Service Board. Three weeks later, I received an official certificate from Washington indicating that I was officially a member of a local Selective Service Board. I will be pleased to serve my nation in this capacity. At the same time, I want Democrats to understand that the legislation pending in the House and Senate (twin bills: S89 and Hr 163) plans to initiate the draft as early as Spring 2005.
Quietly the Bush Administration has assembled a budget of $28 million for the Selective Service System (SSS) to launch the military draft as soon as June 15, 2005. SSS must report to Bush by march 31, 2005 that the Selective Service Boards are ready for activation. This process is exactly what I have uncovered personally: I can attest to an unusual speed and determination with which these Boards are being reconstituted.
With stealth and haste, the Pentagon is quietly begun [sic -- MRH.] to fill all 10,350 draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide. Though this is an unpopular election year topic, military experts and influential members of congress are suggesting that if Rumsfeld's prediction of a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan [and a permanent state of war on "terrorism"] proves accurate, the U.S. will have no choice but to conscript young people into the military.
The bills currently under consideration are designed "to provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons [ages 18-26] in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes."
This is a new kind of Draft legislation built on the experience of the Vietnam Era. Dodging this draft will be much more difficult. Don't look for Canada to be an escape option either. The Bushies have been planning for this for a long time. In December 2001 for example, The Bush Administration signed the "Smart Border Declaration," with Canada which is designed to keep would-be draft dodgers in The United States. To make this less unsavory, every effort has been taken to make the draft appear more fair along gender and class lines. In so doing, higher education has been eliminated as a way to avoid conscription. Undergraduates who are drafted could avoid service only until the end of the current semester. Seniors would be allowed to finish the end of the academic year before conscription.
Even those voters who currently support US action abroad may still object to this move, knowing their own children or grandchildren will have no say about whether to fight. Not that it should make a difference, but this plan, not only, eliminates higher education as a shelter but also includes women in the draft.
This legislation is being pushed through Congress with energetic Bush Administration backing. Even though Bush did not win the election with a majority of votes and had to be appointed by the Supreme Court, he has not been the least restrained by his controversial minority election status. He has energetically pursued a radical right wing agenda both domestically and in foreign affairs. Whatever restraint there has been in these four years, hinged on his desperation not to follow his father in a four years and out progress. If Bush is re-elected for a second four years and has no need to fear the electorate might vote him from office, I think we will see Administrative actions which will make those of these four years pale by comparison.
Consequently, it is crucial that Democrats be informed about this juggernaut of the new draft that will inevitably be the fate of all young Americans 18-26, MALE and FEMALE, If Bush is elected this November.
Please alert your friends, parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and cousins about this new Bush Administration initiative. Your young people must know too. We are talking about Universal military conscription here. Given the extreme record of military adventure of the neo-cons who run this administration, this legislation will be life changing for millions of young Americans. It's their future. They need to stand up and become a powerful voice for change!
Contact your representatives to ask them why they aren't telling their constituents about these bills. Contact newspapers and other media outlets to ask them why they're not covering this important story!
=======================================
The following is taken from the website Educate-Yourself.org. Email dated March 19, 2004.
http://educate-yourself.org/cn/mandatorydraftcoming19mar04.shtml
(Note: formatting, spelling and punctuation as per original.)
From: Sophie Lapaire
I rarely send a mail to a large audience, but the possibility of mandatory drafting for boys and girls (age 18-26) starting June 15 2005, is something, I
If there are children in your family, READ this.
There is pending legislation in the House and Senate (twin bills: S 89 and HR 163) which will time the program's initiation so the draft can begin at early as Spring 2005 -- just after the 2004 presidential election. The administration is quietly trying to get these bills passed now, while the public's attention is on the elections, so our action on this is needed immediately. Details and links follow.
Even those voters who currently support us. Actions abroad may still object to this move, knowing their own children or grandchildren will not have a say about whether to fight. Not that it should make a difference, but this plan, among other things, eliminates higher education as a shelter and includes women in the draft
--
Also, crossing into canada has already been made very difficult.
Actions, actions, actions:
P please send this on to all the parents and teachers you know, and all the aunts and uncles, grandparents, godparents.... And let your children know -- it's their future, and theycan be a powerful voice for change!
Please also write to your representatives to ask them why they aren't telling their constituents about these bills -- and write to newspapers and other media outlets to ask them why they're not covering this important story.
The draft
$28 million has been added to the 2004 selective service system (sss) budget to prepare for a military draft that could start as early as June
The pentagon has quietly begun a public campaign to fill all 10,350 draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide.. Though this is an unpopular election year topic, military experts and influential members of congress are suggesting that if Rumsfeld's prediction of a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan [and a permanent state of war on "terrorism"] proves accurate, the U.S. may have no choice but to draft.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5146.htm www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html
Congress brought twin bills, S. 89 and HR 163 forward this year, http://www.hslda.org/legislation/national/2003/s89/default.asp entitled
the Universal National Service Act of 2003, "to provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons [age 18--26] in the United States,
Dodging the draft will be more difficult than those from the Vietnam era. College and Canada will not be options. In December 2001, Canada
WHAT TO DO:
- Tell all your friends
- Call the Mercury News (Newsdesk) 408-920-5000
-E-mail the SF Chronicle at: Tbyrne@sfchronicle.com
- Contact your Senators and tell them to oppose these bills.
Barbara Boxer: 415-403-0100
For the full list of representatives (53) and websites, go to:
We just can't sit and pretend that by ignoring it, it will go away. We must voice our concerns and create the world we want to live in for
Sophie Lapaire
=======================================
The following is the Democrat text marked up to show similar passages.
In our inaugural issue, [November 2004], I wrote a short piece about The Pentagon's effort to replenish Selective Service Board membership. After a lull of nearly 30 years, many of the members of the nation's Selective Service Baords had retired, expired or despaired. If legislation were to pass, and if the Bush Administration chose to reinstate the Draft, the Selective Service Boards would have to be staffed anew. Accordingly, in October of 2003, the Pentagon's Website carried a call to serve.
The Editor of this Newspaper answered the call as much out of respect for the system as out of curiosity at what might be behind this Pentagon call. I filled out the web form that I would be willing to serve and sent it in.
Three weeks later, I received a telephone call from a recruiter asking if I were indeed interested. I affirmed that I was. Three weeks later, I was notified that a recruiter would be in Memphis to interview me for a position. That interview went very well: I interviewed the recruiter as much as he interviewed me. What I found out was that the Pentagon wanted to have a turn-key system in place should the Administration decide to return to the Draft.
Three weeks after this interview, I received a letter from Tennessee Governor Bredesen appointing me to a Selective Service Board. Three weeks later, I received an official certificate from Washington indicating that I was officially a member of a local Selective Service Board. I will be pleased to serve my nation in this capacity. At the same time, I want Democrats to understand that the legislation pending in the House and Senate (twin bills: S89 and Hr 163) plans to initiate the draft as early as Spring 2005.
Quietly the Bush Administration has
With stealth and haste, the Pentagon is quietly begun [sic -- MRH.] to fill all 10,350 draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide. Though this is an unpopular election year topic, military experts and influential members of congress are suggesting that if Rumsfeld's prediction of a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan [and a permanent state of war on "terrorism"] proves accurate, the U.S. will have no choice but to conscript young people into the military.
The bills currently under consideration are designed "to provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons [ages 18-26] in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes."
This is a new kind of Draft legislation built on the experience of the Vietnam Era. Dodging this draft will be much more difficult. Don't look for Canada to be an escape option either.
Even those voters who currently support US action abroad may still object to this move, knowing their own children or grandchildren will have no say about whether to fight. Not that it should make a difference, but this plan, not only, eliminates higher education as a shelter but also includes women in the draft.
This legislation is being pushed through Congress with energetic Bush Administration backing. Even though Bush did not win the election with a majority of votes and had to be appointed by the Supreme Court, he has not been the least restrained by his controversial minority election status. He has energetically pursued a radical right wing agenda both domestically and in foreign affairs. Whatever restraint there has been in these four years, hinged on his desperation not to follow his father in a four years and out progress. If Bush is re-elected for a second four years and has no need to fear the electorate might vote him from office, I think we will see Administrative actions which will make those of these four years pale by comparison.
Consequently, it is crucial that Democrats be informed about this juggernaut of the new draft that will inevitably be the fate of all young Americans 18-26, MALE and FEMALE, If Bush is elected this November.
Please alert your friends, parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and cousins about this new Bush Administration initiative. Your young people must know too. We are talking about Universal military conscription here. Given the extreme record of military adventure of the neo-cons who run this administration, this legislation will be life changing for millions of young Americans. It's their future. They need to stand up and become a powerful voice for change!
Contact your representatives to ask them why they aren't telling their constituents about these bills. Contact newspapers and other media outlets to ask them why they're not covering this important story!
If you'd like to link to this page, use: http://www.hollihan.net/comptext.html
http://educate-yourself.org/cn/mandatorydraftcoming19mar04.shtml
March 19, 2004
believe, everyone should know. This litteraly affects EVERYONE since we all have or know children that will have to go if this bill passes.
15, 2005. Selective Service must report to Bush on March 31, 2005 that the system, which has lain dormant for decades, is ready for activation. Please see website:
www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html to view the sss annual performance plan - fiscal year 2004.
including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes." These active bills currently sit in the committee on armed services.
and the U.S. signed a "smart border declaration," which could be used to keep would-be draft dodgers in. Signed by Canada's minister of foreign
affairs, John Manley, and U.S. Homeland Security director, Tom Ridge, the declaration involves a 30-point plan which implements, among other
things, a "pre-clearance agreement" of people entering and departing each country. Reforms aimed at making the draft more equitable along gender and class lines also eliminates higher education as a shelter. Underclassmen would only be able to postpone service until the end of their current semester.
Seniors would have until the end of the academic year.
Diane Feinstein: 415/393-0707
Anna Eshoo: 202/225-8104
Nancy Pelosi: sf.nancy@mail.house.gov
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/cgi-bin/newseek.cgi?site=ctc&state=ca
our children and their children's children.
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