Universal National Service Act of 2007

Colleges and Universities A-Z Service Academy Parents
1

<p>Universal National Service Act of 2007</p>

<p>A bill recently introduced in the US House of Representatives:</p>

<p>"To require all persons in the United States between the ages of 18 and 42 to perform national service, either as a member of the uniformed services or in civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, to authorize the induction of persons in the uniformed services during wartime to meet end-strength requirements of the uniformed services, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make permanent the favorable treatment afforded combat pay under the earned income tax credit, and for other purposes."</p>

<p><a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.393:%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.393:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

2

<p>oh my.... a draft by any other name????</p>

3

<p>I smell draft.</p>

<p>This is exactly why, when my children were born overseas in Germany, the Americans are very hurried to register their children at the American consulate. If they were to maintain their dual citizenship, the "fatherland" could come calling @ age 18 for this exact reason.</p>

<p>They either do three years in the military or three performing national service (working in hospitals, etc).</p>

4

<p>Isn't this introduced every year or two? It never passes.</p>

5

<p>I wouldn't know. I've really never paid much attention, until lately when my children started getting older.</p>

<p>I'm thinking you're talking about the UNSA 2007?</p>

6

<p>Introduced by the same people who BURNED THEIR draft cards when THEY were called up. :rolleyes:</p>

<p>Yeah, I know Rangle served in Korea. Big woop. Doesn't give him immunity to try and pass something the party he represents made its name running down and avoiding. This is a purely political move intended to once again make it more difficult for America to use her military to defend herself, all in the name of "fairness".</p>

<p>Had a Republican tried this, Rangle & Company would be out in force screaming about how this was just another militarist move to provide fodder for an overaggressive America.</p>

<p>Go ahead and pass it, so long as the military gets the best and such esteemed powerhouses of efficiency, such as Social Security and Medicare, get the long-haird commie pinko dregs. The military can do without them, thank you very much.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Isn't this introduced every year or two? It never passes.

[/quote]

It's only introduced when liberals like Rangle want to make political hay. It never passes because most people are smart enough to know it doesn't work very well. 99% of the military is against the draft because they know it would drag in idiots they could do without.</p>

7

<p>Only the Military is Sacrificing</p>

<p>Two weeks ago, former Marine officer and respected news anchor, Jim Lehrer, interviewed Mr. Bush about the war in Iraq. Mr. Lehrer asked the president why the volunteer military and their families are the only Americans who are "actually sacrificing anything at this point."</p>

<p><a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/white_house/jan-june07/bush_01-16.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/white_house/jan-june07/bush_01-16.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>MR. LEHRER: If it is as important as you've just said...as all of this is, particularly the struggle in Iraq, if it's that important to all of us and to the future of our country, if not the world, why have you not, as president of the United States, asked more Americans and more American interests to sacrifice something? The people who are now sacrificing are, you know, the
volunteer military -the Army and the U.S. Marines and their
families. They're the only people who are actually sacrificing
anything at this point. </p>

<p>PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, you know, I think a lot of people are in
this fight. I mean, they sacrifice peace of mind when they see the
terrible images of violence on TV every night. I mean, we've got a
fantastic economy here in the United States, but yet, when you
think about the psychology of the country, it is somewhat down
because of this war. </p>

<p>Now, here in Washington when I say, "What do you mean by that?,"
they say, "Well, why don't you raise their taxes; that'll cause there
to be a sacrifice." I strongly oppose that. If that's the kind of
sacrifice people are talking about, I'm not for it because raising
taxes will hurt this growing economy. And one thing we want during
this war on terror is for people to feel like their life's moving on, that
they're able to make a living and send their kids to college and put
more money on the table...</p>

<p>MR. LEHRER: Well, for instance, Mr. President, some people have
Asked...have you considered some kind of national service program, that would be civilian as well as military, that would involve more people in the effort to -not just
militarily, but you talk about ideology, all this sort of stuff -in other
words, to kind of muster the support of young Americans, and other
Americans, in this struggle that you say is so monumental and so
important. </p>

<p>PRESIDENT BUSH: Yeah, I have considered whether it ought to be
compulsory, non-military service, I guess is the best way to put it.
I'm not for compulsory military service, by the way. I think the
volunteer army is working and we got to keep it strong. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/white_house/jan-june07/bush_01-16.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/white_house/jan-june07/bush_01-16.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

8

<p>um...ok...
Did you want to make a point with that? I don't see what you are saying.</p>

9

<p>She has no point. She often has no point. Its part of her charm.</p>

<p>-- Lt. Daniel Kaffee</p>

10

<p>
[quote]
respected news anchor, Jim Lehrer

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That's a laugh...</p>

11

<p>The essential question, as clearly stated by Mr. Lehrer, is why is the US military alone paying the price if the Iraq war is so vital to the future of our country? What is the mission? Bush claims the Iraq war threatens the existence of the United States. If this is true, why isn't there a coordinated nationwide effort to resist this "evil force." If Bush is really committed to...whatever the mission is...why aren't more American citizens participating in the struggle? Not even pay as you go on the ever-changing mission, though we all know that future generations will be paying down the Iraq war debt. Lately, Congress doesn't know what the mission is or seem to think the sacrifice of life, limb, and trillions of American dollars is making any difference whatever the mission is, but in fact exacerbating the conflagration in Iraq. </p>

<p>What is the mission?</p>

12

<p>Well, the mission is all about the things our military is doing every day in Iraq for the people of iraq. Here's a good example....</p>

<p><a href="http://www.freedomalliance.org/view_article.php?a_id=754%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.freedomalliance.org/view_article.php?a_id=754&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

13

<p>We're at war. Bring back the draft.</p>

<p>The vast majority of Americans who were drafted (Republicans and Democrats) did NOT burn their draft carts or run away to Canada during Vietnam. The vast majority of them served. </p>

<p>Vietnam knew no favorites, conservative or liberal, it was an equal opportunity disaster. Plenty of Republicans and Democrats got drafted and served their country honorably, and plenty of them died doing it.</p>

<p>The necessity of a draft is pretty evident, the military is not currently large enough to fight a global war on terror AND be ready to put more boots on the ground should a more conventional war should crop up---and unfortunately, it will...Humankind is kind of funny that way. Pretending a draft isn't necessary puts our troops in a precarious situation and our nation in danger.</p>

<p>The resistence to a draft has more to do with politicians not wanting the nation to actually "feel" like its at war, or experience it's consequences---what a disservice to our men and women in uniform.</p>

14

<p>Evidently the United States Marine Corps thinks highly of Mr. Lehrer, because they invited him to speak at the dedication last fall of the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia, on the 231st anniversary of the corps. Mr. Bush was also in attendance. (Ollie North was nowhere to be found.) The transcript/video is available online. It's a wonderful speech. It will make you laugh and cry; don't miss it:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/military/july-dec06/marines_11-10.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/military/july-dec06/marines_11-10.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>afdad2010: Shhhh, don't mention Ollie North's name if you're ever on the Yard! It's a dirty secret that he even attended USNA. (Like other USNA alumni whose connection to the institution seems irrelevant; USNA produces both winners and losers.) </p>

<p>"In November 1986 as the sale of weapons was made public, North was "fired" by President Reagan, and in July 1987 he was summoned to testify before televised hearings of a joint Congressional committee formed to investigate Iran-Contra. </p>

<p>During the hearings, North admitted that he had LIED to Congress, for which he was later charged among other things. </p>

<p>He defended his ILLEGAL ACTIONS by stating that he believed in the goal of aiding the Contras, whom he saw as freedom fighters, and said that he viewed the Iran-Contra scheme as a "NEAT IDEA."</p>

<p>North was tried in 1988 in relation to his activities while at the National Security Council. He was indicted on sixteen felony counts and on May 4,1989, he was convicted of three: accepting an illegal gratuity, aiding and abetting in the obstruction of a congressional inquiry, and destruction of documents by his secretary.</p>

<p>He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gerhard A. Gesell on July 5, 1989, to a three-year suspended prison term, two years probation, $150,000 in fines, and 1,200 hours community service. </p>

<h2>However, on July 20, 1990, with the help of the ACLU, North's conviction was overturned by a three-judge appeals panel in advance of further proceedings on the grounds that his public testimony may have prejudiced his right to a fair trial."</h2>

<p>Isn't that ironic-the ACLU defended Ollie North, mr. conservative mouthpiece??? </p>

<p>Bush compares the discomfort the American public experiences watching the news coverage of the war in Iraq, with the pain and loss military families endure over the loss of a loved one??? Takes my breath away.</p>

<p>Shogun hit the nail on the head. Bring back the draft; the war will come to a screeching halt and the troops will be home before Labor Day.</p>

15

<p>z-boy,
Take me off your 'buddy list.' It's uncanny that you reply almost immediately when I post.</p>

16

<p>Thanks for all the neat background on Ollie North usna09mom -- he probably made up the whole thing! I completely forgot about all that history and it's a lot easier to attack him than anything he says anyway, so I should keep that in mind. I'm sure now there isn';t any good happening at ALL over in Iraq and there is no sense in listening to anyone actually over there since they are probably all Bush's henchmen anyway -- well, maybe Cheney or karl Rove's people since they're the brains behind the President. Also, I'll make sure to keep all this very quiet as you suggest. And while we don't want to highlight anything good happening over there, hopefully we can find an angle that makes people still think we support the troops. I KNOW -- WHY DON'T WE JUST TELL PEOPLE WE SUPPORT THE TROOPS BY BRINGING THEM HOME?? Bet THAT will show those troops we really love em! Tell them that their mission and actions are a complete waste of time, comrades all died in vain and that they too should be very quiet about anything good happening over there. Shhhhh. </p>

<p>Why don't you put out a newsletter for everyone -- you can include all your articles and provide commentary.</p>

17

<p>Zaphod -- CC has a buddy list? Does it have a "I'm-tired-of-the-BS this person-says-list" too?</p>

18

<p>It's called the Ignore function. Comes in all kinds of handy when the moonbats show up.</p>

<p>Of course, they seem to have punched it on reality, but that's life.</p>

19

<p>Z-</p>

<p>I'm wounded! I thought, at least, some of us (like myself) were on your buddy list! :p :D</p>

20

<p>I'll give you an honorary position, nurseypoo. :D</p>