And substitute my own.
NY Congressman Charlie Rangel is delighted to change the conversation from his ongoing ethical woes and once again engage in a bit of meaningless political kabuki:
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) likely will introduce his controversial legislation to reinstate the draft again this year, but he will wait until after the economic stimulus package is passed.
A decorated Korean War veteran and a member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, Rangel argues that the burden of fighting wars falls disproportionately on low-income people and that cost should be borne more broadly.
Alas, he argues that case contra-factually as the Heritage Foundation pointed out in 2003 and as was reinforced in a separate study in 2005:
According to the 2000 Census, the national median income per household in 1999 was $41,994 in 1999 dollars. By assigning each recruit the median 1999 household income for his hometown ZIP code, we calculated that the mean 1999 income for 1999 recruits before entering the military was $41,141 (in 1999 dollars). The mean 1999 income for 2003 recruits was $42,822 (in 1999 dollars). In other words, on average, recruits in 2003 were from wealthier neighborhoods than were recruits in 1999.
And:
DoD tracks “representativeness” – as Gilroy calls it – very closely. And representativeness can take a whole host of forms – race, education, social status, income, region and so on. “When you look at all of those, you find that the force is really quite representative of the country,” he said in a recent interview. “It mirrors the country in many of these. And where it doesn’t mirror America, it exceeds America.”
The data shows the force is more educated than the population at large. Servicemembers have high school diplomas or the general equivalency diploma. More servicemembers have some college than the typical 18- to 24-year-olds.
And when it comes to those doing the actual warfighting from within those ranks, the distinction is even starker:
The American troops likeliest to fight and die in a war against Iraq are disproportionately white, not black, military statistics show — contradicting a belief widely held since the early days of the Vietnam War.
In a little-publicized trend, black recruits have gravitated toward non-combat jobs that provide marketable skills for post-military careers, while white soldiers are over-represented in front-line combat forces.
Rangel’s real point – probably hidden for the last four years in one of his illegally owned rent-controlled apartments – is not that poor Americans are over-represented as that richer Americans are under-represented. This is nothing but ugly class-warfare masquerading as patriotism, and if the congressman gets his way it would serve make the US military simultaneously less employable in any potential crisis and less capable once deployed.
Maybe Rangel truly believes that a draft would make the country more secure. All he has to do is draw a long breath, and shut his eyes.
“I can’t believe that!” said Alice.
“Can’t you?” the queen said in a pitying tone. “Try again, draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.”
Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said. “One can’t believe impossible things.”
“I dare say you haven’t had much practice,” said the queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” — Lewis Carroll
Charlie Rangel – Another agrument for term limits and against universal suffrage*.
* Lest anyone misunderstand and turn this into a racial thing, I would prefer to limit the vote to taxpayers.
As the late Senator Daniel Patrick Monihan said, “You are entitled to their own opinions but you are not your own facts”. Probably, if not while drinking a Guinness, wishing in fact he were.
Debate in the public sphere has lost any semblance of meaning. Its all about scoring points with whatever group you appeal to based on their limited agenda – facts and consequences be damned.
Its all about the fiund raising, whether for a campaign of a legal defense fund.
Somehow the country and its citizens get left the worse for wear.
Lex,
Your finish to that entry was BRILLIANT.
I almost choked on the Skoal.
Semper Fi
Lex, you have brought about a reaction from a truly diverse crowd. i, myself, almost choked on the Redman Golden Blend.
so you have BOTH dippers and chewers as readers with military backgrounds.
Rangel doesn’t give a rat’s ass about class distinctions, or too many blacks in the military, or poverty driving minorities to the military while the rich whites sit at home plotting against the poor black man. He’s just another power hungry politician wanting to look good for his constituents to get re-elected.
He’s always been a POS, and it’s good to know nothings changed.
Are you trying to tell me this ex-Army (2 years) cook doesn’t have have a clue when it comes to reinstating the draft?
His tax situation is outta the fire because that genius Master of the Ivy Universe dude that PEBO wants to make Treasury Secretary doesn’t just cheat on taxes like Rangel, no, he just doesn’t file ‘em!
God help us all.
b2
In an article posted on “The Hill” Charlie is referenced as,
“A decorated Korean War veteran and a member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, Rangel argues that the burden of fighting wars falls disproportionately on low-income people and that cost should be borne more broadly.”
My problem with this outside of Lex’s properly ascertained metrics discounting this premise, is… assuming this argument to be factual, aren’t we still an All Volunteer Force? These “under-privileged” CHOSE!!!!! to enlist! Probably as a good opportunity to make something of themselves.
Yeah, maybe other races and other classes do not enlist in as great of numbers, but who do we have to blame for that? Remember folks the elite bastions of our society are ridding themselves from any affiliation with the US Armed Forces. ROTC is all but banned from most campuses. Maybe ol’ Charlie ought to start there, asking why recruiters are not allowed to offer the benefits of military service to the “Elites?”
The Draft, in our current situation is categorically asinine, and Charlie knows this. The American people know this, the Military certainly knows this, and we have better issues to address than Charlie’s folly!
-JC
Well, with the imminent repeal of DADT just days away maybe we won’t have to worry about the draft as all of those openly homosexual types will now be 20 plus careerists. Uni-sex heads next on the list, followed by “life-partner” detailing. So Rangel’s “draft” will die a natural death, but between him and Barney Frank running things, Heaven help us all.
Australia is looking better each day. Just click your heels together and repeat ……
I’m all for the draft–as long as only women are drafted. I want a 100% female fighting force! Let THEM parachute in while guys like me watch it all on TV with a big cold one…
Be careful what you wish for all you ERA advocates…..
G-Man: with the imminent repeal of DADT, perhaps the best solution to all these drafts will be to put up some nice paisley curtains. that’ll fix a draft every time!
Well, the US military is disproportionately represented by those citizens who love American and believe in their country. A draft would bring more of the anti-American types into service forcing them to face reality and break free of their delusions of how the world should be.
Virgil,
Heh. You remind me of a line from The Moon is a Harsh Mistress:
You know Virgil, that was just down right sexist…
I am a believer that the greatest catalyst to integration in this country was the integration of the U.S. Military. Nothing like having to trust the guy next to you when push comes to shove. Puts a whole different perspective on things.
That said, I think the mission has been completed in that I think there is probably less racism in the military than in society at large. That, of course, is not what Mr. Rangle is discussing. While I do lament that so few graduates of Yale, etc. choose to serve in the military, I don’t think the draft will help that one iota…
IMO the elite have been given a pass; they have “better things to do” like screwing up our financial system and serving in Congress…
I had hoped very much for the new blood that ran for Congress this year; dem or repub, those that had recently served. Unfortunately, the voters chose the earmarks that they know over anyone that might have some “new” integrity…
Why yes, Babs, as I’ve freely admitted here before; I AM a sexist-pig AND
a minion of evil–all wrapped into one.
But rest assured, as I also have reminded
here previously, that these days my duties are largely ceremonial
If you haven’t read Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers” (forget the movie, it was a turkey and was not at all faithful to the novel). Two things should be required to vote, 1) that you have served in the military. No franchise until you get an honorable discharge. 2) you pay taxes, not be a tax eater. This would exclude government employees as they pay no net taxes as they receive a paycheck from tax receipts. If you aren’t willing to support the society by placing your own body on the line for, or support a reasonable, and limited government with your taxes, you aren’t a citizen.
Lest any vet bridle at this, it was not until the late 50s that service leadership even began to register to vote. The idea was that civilian control of the military was supreme, and that was not compatible with GOFOs voting.
Ouartermaster knows his stuff about the largely apolitical officer corps until the late 50s-mid-60s. Vietnam changed all that–and not for the better, IMHO. But the change sure wasn’t initiated by the officer corps, but by, well, “everything else” for want of a better way to phrase it–without going into a lengthy chapter and verse that is, on the social revolution that the 60s wrought and the follow-on effects still being felt.
QM,
The book ought to be required reading. My own take, for which I’ve often been pilloried, is that some form of military service is required. Could be perhaps we fold in the Border patrol and TSA, etc, maybe include the various Plice and Fire departments.
But, if you are not willing to stand up and be counted, then you don’t get to vote, you also don’t get to ever hold a government job at ANY level, you don’t get to run for any elected office, nor to receive government grants or loans for college, housing, etc.
In short, if you aren’t willing to serve in some capacity, to have an “ownership stake” with your country, then your country doesn’t owe you anything. You can still be a great citizen, own your own business, work where you like, live how you please, etc. You just don’t get to slurp at the public trough if you aren’t willing to help muck out the stalls.
respects,
Virgil – Aren’t you the guy that wanted to marry me?
Well forget it… The wedding is off!
GO NAVY!
Babs:
So sorry you felt compelled to break off our beautiful friendship–I can’t imagine why–but in any event in memory of our relationship here’s a toast to all that might have been from an irredeemable reprobate:
Here’s to you as good as you are and as bad as I am–
But as bad as I am, and as good as you are–
I’m as good as you are, as bad as I am–
Or something like that….
PS: Breaking up was bad enough, but the GO NAVY! bit REALLY hurt…..to the quick.