The House will vote today on a Democratic bill to reinstate the draft. President Bush and Republicans oppose a draft and seek defeat of this bill, yet Sen. Kerry (who has said he may be open to a draft) and Sen. Edwards continue to wrongly claim it is Republicans who support this.
Just who is it that is proposing a draft?
Democrat Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY) Introduced The "Universal National Service Act Of 2003" To Reinstate Military Draft. "A BILL To provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons 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." (H.R. 163, Introduced 1/7/03 By Rep. Charles Rangel)
Democrat Senator Ernest Hollings (D-SC) has introduced identical military draft legislation. "A BILL To provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons 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." (S. 89, Introduced 1/7/03 By Sen. Ernest Hollings)
Citing the war in Iraq and other trouble spots in the world, Kerry raised the possibility Wednesday that a military draft could be reinstated if voters re-elect President Bush. ... Answering a question about the draft that had been posed at a forum with voters, Kerry said: 'If George Bush were to be re-elected, given the way he has gone about this war and given his avoidance of responsibility in North Korea and Iran and other places, is it possible? I can't tell you.'"
Edwards recently responded to a question from a woman who said that her 23-year-old son recently graduated from college, and that she is worried about a draft being instituted for the war in Iraq. 'There will be no draft when John Kerry is president”, yet Kerry told reporters that if large mobilization is needed, a draft is "the only fair way to do it.”
President Bush on the other hand, is clear; he opposes a draft.
