How the draft will be constructed to allow the rich to weasel out

[bluestateguy]

Often the draft has operated in a way that is discriminatory against the working classes. College deferments were abolished in 1971 (currently, you would be able to finish out your semester), so that approach would not work. So how would the new draft, which would be reinstated in 2005 should Bush be elected this fall, operate? You don't actually think that the sons of Fortune 500 company executives will serve alongside the sons of blue collar workers do you? For starters the health care crisis makes it such that rich kids can shop for a doctor to certify that they have a "bad back", while the poor will not have that option. Government funded health clinics will be watched very carefully to make sure they don't play those games. What I also think will happen is that the Congress will allow all small business owners who employ a certain number of people to be exempt from the draft (Daddy can then transfer ownership of the business to junior). Another tactic, all undergraduate business and finance majors will be exempted from the draft. The Bush crowd will say that this is because these people are the "job creators...who drive our economy". Many people will eat up this nonsense.

[eaprez]

1. The health care crisis will

....insure a steady stream of enlistees who have no other means to provide their family with access to healthcare, decent housing and a chance to make a better life for themselves. The system is set up to insure that the military is an attractive alternative - just a shame that one has to risk their life in order to be able to provide a decent life for their family. The rich don't make those choices.

[bluestateguy]

2. kick

:kick:

[OneTwentyoNine]

3. Medical discharged worked like a charm in the VN days,it'll work again..

There won't be the time or money to check on all these rich boys that get a phony certificate from the family doctor. I could name off ten guys that got one in the VN days while my brother was in the Navy.

The only way to stop that shit is mass demonstrations and draft card burning. It won't be fair,it wasn't fair in WWII days when Ronnie didn't go,Frank Sinatra didn't go,John Wayne didn't go,Mickey Rooney didn't go...ah you get the drift...


David

[beanball]

4. The draft

Mickey Rooney served during WW2.

[OneTwentyoNine]

21. Rooney served? Hardly..he made four movies during the War

Rooney was the All-American boy,they weren't about to let his ass get shot so they let him out because he was too short. Funny thing though,there was a guy in my dads outfit that was an inch shorter than Rooney. Rooney did some USO shows,big deal.

My day served over three years living in a tent in China,Burma and India,here's what Rooney did during those years:

1941 Babes on Broadway
1943 Girl Crazy
1943 The Human Comedy
1944 National Velvet

[Johnyawl]

8. Rayguns was too old, JohnWayne had to many kids

[OneTwentyoNine]

22. Yeah ...big Duke used his kids as a crutch....

The reality was that he was afraid his career might flounder over the War years so he didn't go. He told friends he "might" sign up after he made another film or two but never did.

Damn,wouldn't everyone LOVED to have that luxury?? The military re-classified him as 1-A in 43 or 44 but his studio quickly had it changed to the lesser 2-A.

David

[BrotherBuzz]

13. Reagan was a Captain in the army...

He enlisted in the Army Enlisted Reserve on 29 April 1937
Appointed Second Lieutenant - Officers Reserve Corps on 25 May 1937.
Ordered to active duty on 19 April 1942.
Promoted to Captain on 22 July 1943.

Bum eyes prevented him from shipping overseas...Jeez, sounds like his military life was akin to the country club life. Nice work if you can get it.

www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/handout/Rrmil.htm

[KansDem]

18. Reagan made training films during WWII

The Army Air Forces stationed the popular movie actor Ronald Reagan in his hometown of Hollywood during World War II, assigned to making training films; he had no overseas assignments and few of the usual military duties.
http://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/AD_Issues/amdipl_1/milsvc_I.html

William Holden's biography, "Golden Boy," has some amusing accounts of Cpt. Reagan and his service to the country via Hollywood.

[OneTwentyoNine]

19. Stayed in Hollywood during the entire War

I'll bet there were a million guys serving that were near sighted--my dad included. He wore glasses all through high school and the three years he spent overseas,they sure as hell drafted him with his near sightedness.

Ronnie got preferential treatment,they let him stay in Hollywood and make promo's,Bond commercials etc.. just because he needed glasses. Thats funny,I don't think I ever saw Ronnie wearing glasses. Contact lenses for the last 60 years?

David

[bluestateguy]

5. kick

:kick:

[bluestateguy]

6. kick

:kick:

[Johnyawl]

7. They won't need draft deferments

They'll get all the cushy, stateside jobs, just like they did in WWII. The only sons of the wealthy & powerful who actually fought in WWII (such as JFK) did so because they volunteered for it. I've said this over, and over on this board, there is no way to construct a fair draft, because those with connections will always get the safe jobs that won't expose them to danger, even when they put on a uniform. It worked for shrub. It worked for Danny Quayle.

[DemoTex]

10. Buddy!

Damn good to see you here!

BTW: How is Gini?

[Johnyawl]

12. Howdy Mac!

Geni's doing just fine, hiding out in the lounge.

[ComerPerro]

9. I will not even consider going, even if drafted

Until every single member of College Republicans has been drafted first. Those fucking Nazi shitheads are always supporting and celebrating this asshole and his war, so they can go first.

[evil_orange_cat]

11. I'll move to canada...

fuck that, I'm not dying in some desert for that shithead.

[ComerPerro]

15. Well, what I am saying is

I will not go, because I know the college Republicans won't.

But I agree. Im not going to be a meatshield for him and the PNAC

[bluestateguy]

14. kick

:kick:

[bluestateguy]

16. kick

:kick:

[Ganja Peace]

17. Canada

If I were male, I would leave the country or somehow get a shrink to say I smoke too much dope, to get out of the draft. My dad went to Canada in 71 to get out of the draft. I don't know if Canada still allows Americans fleeing the draft to come into the country. America shouldn't have a military. If we treated everyone the same and shared all the wonderful things we have here, with the rest of the world, no one would declare war on us.:grouphug:

[alittlelark]

20. Fattie chance Ganja Peace

Canada and the US fixed that loophole a few years ago. I'd try goin' South, brush up on your Spanish or Portuguese.

By the way:hi: :smoke: :toast:

[Faygo Kid]

23. College deferments eliminated 1969; lottery introduced.

Believe me, I know. I turned 18 that year, and had number 1 in the first lottery. Luckily, you got your lottery number when you turned 19, and I ended up with 247, in 1970. Believe me, it wasn't 1971. I know, and will never forget. But, you're right: No way will the rich kids go. No way.

[bluestateguy]

24. kick

:kick:

[TheMightyFavog]

25. Three Words: Universal Life Church.

IIRC, under the current system "ministers of religion" can be asked to volunteer as chaplains, however, they are under no obligation whatsoever to accept.

[anti-NAFTA]

26. Finance majors? What the hell is wrong with you?

I'll be majoring in finance next year as an undergraduate. Are you envious or something? Not every finance major is the son of some Fortune 500 executive.