The military draft is a bad thing, for a variety of reasons. However, the military draft is not the worst thing. Plans are being made by lefist politicians to create and enforce a system of mandatory government service for every American — in times of war or peace. This system would require every American to spend two years as a forced laborer for the U.S. government.
These devious plans to misuse the military draft are documented in bills introduced to the House of Representatives by Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) and into the Senate by Ernest “Fritz” Hollings (D-S.C.). Co-sponsors of the House bill were Neil Abercrombie [D-HI], Corrine Brown [D-FL], Donna Christensen [D-VI], William Lacy Clay [D-MO], John Conyers, Jr. [D-MI], Elijah E. Cummings [D-MD], Alcee L. Hastings [D-FL], Jesse L Jackson, Jr. [D-IL], Sheila Jackson-Lee [D-TX], John Lewis [D-GA], Jim McDermott [D-WA], James P. Moran [D-VA], Eleanor Holmes Norton [D-DC], Fortney Pete Stark [D-CA], and Nydia M. Velazquez [D-NY].
That being said, the military draft itself still needs to be addressed:
The U.S. Military Does Not Need or Want a Military Draft
Conscript labor isn’t just useless and annoying to anyone trying to achieve an objective — it is actually dangerous in a military environment. Conscripts don’t just get themselves killed, they represent a danger to everyone in the area of operations.
Even the Russian military is trying to get rid of the draft. Their problem is that the Russian politicians are afraid that removing the Russian military draft would raise unemployment.
The Military Draft is Uneconomic
In a free market, if we want more soldiers than we have, we have the tools of supply and demand. Need more soldiers? Pay them more money.
We pay our enlisted men an embarassingly low wage for the very difficult job which they do. It’s shameful. However, supply still exceeds demand. We have as many soldiers as the U.S. Congress will legally allow us to have.
The Military Draft Does Not Utilize Human Resources Efficiently
Conscription, like any form of state control of economic resources, is inherently inefficient.
The military draft is a system which randomly selects individuals for public service.
This random selection removes individuals from productive roles where they are making their most efficient contribution to the economic health of the United States and places them in roles which could be fulfulled by more well-qualified personnel who have been competitively selected for the positions.
The free market all-volunteer military system we have now funnels the right people into the right jobs.
To quote an official statement of Donald Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense, “We’re not going to re-implement a draft. There is no need for it at all. The disadvantages of using compulsion to bring into the armed forces the men and women needed are notable.”
Conscription Leads to Bad Military Economics
Every military planner must make trade-offs between objectives, time, men, and material.
When “men” are cheap, they are “spent” more in order to mazimize the other variables.
The American people do not like to be “spent” cheaply.
It is best for everyone involved if military manpower is expensive. This motivates politicians and military planners to prioritize keeping everyone alive.
Recently Military Draft Bills before Congress
House Bill HR163, introduced by Charlie Rangel (D-NY) and co-sponsored by Neil Abercrombie [D-HI], Corrine Brown [D-FL], Donna Christensen [D-VI], William Lacy Clay [D-MO], John Conyers, Jr. [D-MI], Elijah E. Cummings [D-MD], Alcee L. Hastings [D-FL], Jesse L Jackson, Jr. [D-IL], Sheila Jackson-Lee [D-TX], John Lewis [D-GA], Jim McDermott [D-WA], James P. Moran [D-VA], Eleanor Holmes Norton [D-DC], Fortney Pete Stark [D-CA], and Nydia M. Velazquez [D-NY]
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.
Senate Bill S.89, introduced by Ernest (Fritz) Hollings
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.
News Articles on the Military Draft
House Opposes Military Draft Bill
The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Tuesday against a bill to reinstate the military draft, a tool that had been used by Democrats to point out the inherent inequality of volunteer service.
Urban Legends Reference Page: Draft Fear
Status: Probably Not
Rumsfeld: Volunteer U.S. Military Is ‘Booming Success’
For three decades, the volunteer U.S. military “has been a booming success — it works,” Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said…
U.S. Government Web Sites related to the Military Draft
Selective Service System
Since 1980, the Selective Service System has discharged its mission of preparing to manage a draft if and when Congress and the President so direct. The House action proves that the Selective Service has gotten no such direction. That being the case, the Agency will maintain its readiness as required by law, and to register young men between the ages of 18 and 25. That mission has been reaffirmed frequently by successive Administrations and by Congress under the leadership of both parties.