Amidst a slew of largesse being promised by the major candidates ranging from federal buy-outs of McMansions to using the already-strapped Medicare program for the sake of transporting geezers in luxurious scooters, one statement that actually required people to do something for their nation might've flown under the radar. Greyhawk directs our attention to Obama's thoughts on women in the Selective Service system [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]:Even as the U.S. confronts two long wars, neither Sen. John McCain nor Sen. Barack Obama believes the country should take the politically perilous step of reviving the military draft. But the two presidential candidates disagree on a key foundation of any future draft: Mr. Obama supports a requirement for both men and women to register with the Selective Service, while Mr. McCain doesn't think women should have to register. Also, Mr. Obama would consider officially opening combat positions to women. Mr. McCain would not.
Often the very mention of "The Draft" carries the same devastating political reprucussions as calling "Main Street" Americans a pack of slobbering imbeciles for being fleeced by the mortgage industry. Memories of Vietnam and nations like the Soviet Union enforcing conscription have definitely made The Draft about as popular as Kramer at the Laugh Factory. But, the Constitution vaguely refers to conscription in Article I Section 8:
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years
There would be a host of problems with reviving the draft, to include shitty morale within the military, massive discipline problems, and a new era of whining from the whiniest generation in history. However, it is interesting to see the Obama campaign bring up this politically poisonous topic when campaigning has become less about what's good for the nation and more about which candidate will emulate Santa Claus the most by dishing out free government goodies.
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