Robert Reich (Clinton ally) calls for mandatory national service

[cindy25]

from Reich's facebook page

If you include World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War with the Soviet Union, the Vietnam War, and the “War on Terror” that began in 2001 and continues to this day, the United States has been at war for 61 of the last 73 years. For most of the last thirty of them we’ve relied on an “all volunteer” army, which is “volunteer” only in the sense that young people have taken these jobs because they were among the best they could get. As we move into another phase of the war on terror, isn’t it time we reinstituted national service? Two years in the armed service or in service to America in some other capacity, required of every young American. It would remind all young people of their obligations to our society, and remind many upper-income Americans of the personal costs and risks of foreign policy. What do you think?

[Xenliad]

I hate slavery.

[acptulsa]

Two years in the armed service or in service to America in some other capacity, required of every young American. It would remind all young people of their obligations to our society, and remind many upper-income Americans of the personal costs and risks of foreign policy. What do you think?

What do I think?

I think the children of 'upper-income Americans' have pretty much always been immune to the draft. I think the wording '...in the armed service or in service to America...' is surprisingly accurate. And I think most of us would much rather give peace a chance--and as powerful as we are, all we'd have to do to have peace is to declare it.

[green73]

Ron Paul: National Service is Anti-Liberty and Un-American

http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives...-american.aspx

[jkr]

got slavery?

[JK/SEA]

i'm all for it....pretty sure this would wake up a few wannabe Rambo computer warriors...

i see burning draft cards in our future....ahhhh... i love the smell of burning draft card notices in the morning with my coffee...

[ZENemy]

Well....the dudes last name is Reich.

[William Tell]

Cool last name, Bro.

[CaptUSA]

Please. As if making service mandatory would ever give the warhawks pause. That just gives them a greater pool of cannon fodder.

The ruling class will always find a way to make sure that their fortunate sons are somehow exempt from the line of fire. Meanwhile, they'll come to my house with guns trying to take away mine to fight in one of their causes du jour. No thanks.

[Occam's Banana]

If you include World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War with the Soviet Union, the Vietnam War, and the “War on Terror” that began in 2001 and continues to this day, the United States has been at war for 61 of the last 73 years.

So lemme get this straight. By Reich's own admission, the US government has mired us in war for "61 of the last 73 years" - and this is supposed to serve as some kind of excuse to enslave young people (so that the signal and abysmal failures of US government policies - both foreign and domestic - can be continued and expanded upon without pause or inconvenience). SMGDH ...

For most of the last thirty of them we’ve relied on an “all volunteer” army, which is “volunteer” only in the sense that young people have taken these jobs because they were among the best they could get.

In other words: The US government has so thoroughly screwed over the economy that "these jobs" are taken (by Reich's implication) only because they are deemed to be the "least bad" option - and this, according to Reich, is to be considered as evidence that the situation should be explicitly formalized by FORCING even more people to do those jobs ...

Robert Reich, (former) Secretary of Labor ... but just call him "massa" ...

As we move into another phase of the war on terror, isn’t it time we reinstituted national service?

Who the $#@! is "we," you $#@!? I know it sure as hell ain't "me" ...

Two years in the armed service or in service to America in some other capacity, required of every young American. It would remind all young people of their obligations to our society, and remind many upper-income Americans of the personal costs and risks of foreign policy.

So ... the consequences of US government tom-$#@!ery translates into "obligations to our society" - which means: obligations to be forcibly imposed upon people who had NOTHING to do with causing the very "costs and risks" they are allegedly obliged to use their bodies to ameliorate.

What do you think?

I think you're just another vile, vicious, parasitic elite with a mouth full of meal.

[Pericles]

Please. As if making service mandatory would ever give the warhawks pause. That just gives them a greater pool of cannon fodder.

The ruling class will always find a way to make sure that their fortunate sons are somehow exempt from the line of fire. Meanwhile, they'll come to my house with guns trying to take away mine to fight in one of their causes du jour. No thanks.

That ^ and I'll just drop this here:

“We had been told, on leaving our native soil, that we were going to defend the sacred rights conferred on us by so many of our citizens settled overseas, so many years of our presence, so many benefits brought by us to populations in need of our assistance and our civilization.

“We were able to verify that all this was true, and because it was true, we did not hesitate to shed our quota of blood, to sacrifice our youth and our hopes. We regretted nothing, but whereas we over here are inspired by this frame of mind, I am told that in Rome factions and conspiracies are rife, that treachery flourishes, and that many people in their uncertainty and confusion lend a ready ear to the dire temptations of relinquishment and even to vilify our actions.

“I cannot believe that all this is true, and yet recent wars have shown how pernicious such a state of mind could be and to where it could lead.

“Make haste to reassure us, I beg you, and tell us that our fellow citizens understand us, support us, and protect us as we ourselves are protecting the glory of the Empire.

“If it should be otherwise, if we should have to leave our bleached bones on these desert sands in vain, then beware the fury of the Legions.”

Centurion Marcus Flavinius, Second Cohort, Augusta Legion to his cousin Tertullus in Rome. No date given.

[KingNothing]

It's probably a politically expedient thing to say. Old people vote, and old people were compelled to serve. Many think young people should be forced to do the same. Young people don't vote. This is basically the same as calling for increased taxes on rich people. People unaffected by it like it. People who are hurt by it are a small minority.

I believe there was a scene about this in Ides of March, which was an excellent movie. Call for mandatory national service for teenagers. They don't vote, so the blowback doesn't hurt ya!

[Intoxiklown]

People need to understand what the KATUSA program is. If you want to know how national service isn't "fair", and doesn't equally spreads the burden of danger, there is the only precedent you'll ever need.

[jkob]

they wouldn't ever seriously propose this

[CaptUSA]

they wouldn't ever seriously propose this

They've done it before...

[Christian Liberty]

i'm all for it....pretty sure this would wake up a few wannabe Rambo computer warriors...

i see burning draft cards in our future....ahhhh... i love the smell of burning draft card notices in the morning with my coffee...

I'd burn mine.

[DamianTV]

What an easy way for them to continue the ever existent self validating War-State, and the Military Industrial Complex.

Perhaps it is time for a Mandatory Resignation of Robert (4th) Reich?

[francisco]

Once again, true nature of "progressive" thinking exposed.

[tod evans]

Is our nation short of tar-n-feathers?

[acptulsa]

Once again, true nature of "progressive" thinking exposed.

Does beg the question--progressing toward what?

[Spikender]

I propose instead we send all politicians and bureaucrats overseas along with their corporate buddies and watch them fumble with their firearms and accidentally shoot each other.

It would be a real hoot.

[alucard13mm]

Thank god I am too old for them to conscript ... haha

[Carson]

This comes at an odd time.

People all over the world know something is wrong they just can't quit seem to grasp that most of their problems are caused by the counterfeiters devaluing their currency. When they do they take what little voice the honest mans hard earned dollar has. They can always out print what ever it take so shout him down.

Like on the one hand they are preparing for people stepping up to serve their countries by militarizing the police. On the other they are talking of making service mandatory.

Kind of makes me want to set back and reach for the popcorn.

[euphemia]

Reich is probably too short to be in the military. Let's just remember his buddy and boss Bill Clinton did all he could to get out of the draft.

My high school class was the last class to be eligible for the draft. There were guys in my class who were registered.

Of course nowdays with a fully integrated military, it would be double the number because girls would also be eligible.

[Carson]

I propose instead we send all politicians and bureaucrats overseas along with their corporate buddies and watch them fumble with their firearms and accidentally shoot each other.

It would be a real hoot.

I'm not sure how that would work.

I saw an old western about Missouri and Kansas back during the civil war. One guy, hoping to take over the territory, had two armies. One he called the Red Legs and the other I don't remember. Anyway he would send in his Red Legs to loot and pillage and piss people off. Then his other army would come in and save the day.

I'm not sure how accurate it depicts the real Red Legs during the civil war.

One thing that hit me is it seems pretty accurate to the way we are played today.

I don't think a scam like that could come off using politicians and bureaucrats. Its hard to imagine what the war footage coming back might be like.

[Carson]

Reich is probably too short to be in the military. Let's just remember his buddy and boss Bill Clinton did all he could to get out of the draft.

My high school class was the last class to be eligible for the draft. There were guys in my class who were registered.

Of course nowdays with a fully integrated military, it would be double the number because girls would also be eligible.

Last class here too. My lottery number was 361.

[MRK]

There already is mandatory national military service. They just got more slick about it; now they just take your income taxes and hand them out to radicals, fighter jet pilots, and weapon manufacturers. Airstrikes worked so well in Cambodia with minimal loss of American life versus the ground game in Vietnam that we haven't had a draft since.

http://www.yale.edu/cgp/Walrus_Cambo...ng_OCT06.pdf#2

Civilian lives in the area were indiscriminately incinerated (over 10% of airstrikes had no specific enemy to target at all), but the collateral damaged don't vote in US elections.

There's a reason I keep posting this pdf, it's easily the most disturbing document I've ever read about American military intervention that no one has ever heard about (the report was quietly released in 2000, decades after the fact).

[A Son of Liberty]

You go straight to hell, Reich. You cannot have my son.

You'll have to come thru me, first. $#@!ing war pigs. Reich's son won't ever die on some god-forsaken foreign soil...



I'll be waving at you from north of the border, you $#@!. $#@! you.

I hate these $#@!ing people. I $#@!ing hate them. How many lives must you steamroll you piece of $#@!?

When are the people in this country going to WAKE THE $#@! UP?

[Tywysog Cymru]

Does Canada accept draft dodgers? I heard somewhere that they don't.

[Pericles]

Does beg the question--progressing toward what?

Toward where I don't want to go.