The Democrats are trying to scare voters–parents and kids–into believing that George Bush has a secret plan to bring back the draft. But anyone who knows the history of this issue also knows that it is much more likely that the selective slavery, uh I mean, selective service system would rear its ugly head under a Democratic administration. During the 20th Century the draft was instituted or reauthorized 6 times and 4 of those were during peacetime. But all 6 were during Democratic administrations. The only time draft legislation was actually repealed was during the Republican Nixon administration, and Gerald Ford granted clemency to draft evaders. In 1980 Democrat Jimmy Carter brought back draft registration–which 18 year olds still live with today. Most recently the loudest calls to renew the draft have come from Democrat Charlie Rangle of New York, who is the primary sponsor of legislation that has been languishing in Congress for two years.
This should come as no surprise. There is nothing inherently inconsistent between left wing ideology and conscription. As one libertarian anti-draft slogan reads, “the draft is the ultimate in socialism–nationalization of human beings.” Furthermore, the egalitarian nature of the draft, especially one based on a lottery, has always had an inherent appeal to the left. Rangle’s argument is that the all-volunteer army exploits the downtrodden and minorities. Volunteerism allows the “rich white boys” to sit back and enjoy their lives while the poor minorities fight and die.
The fact is that left wing opposition to the draft during the 1960s was an anomaly. It was not rooted in opposition to involuntary servitude and coercion, but in opposition to a particular war. One must remember that since the end of the military draft in the 1970s many on the left, including Ted Kennedy and Jimmy Carter–have actually spoken in favor of universal service which would force kids to devote a year or two of their lives to either military service or to a state approved humanitarian cause like the Peace Core.
What I would like to see George Bush do in the debate tonight is put this whole thing to rest by not only declaring his opposition to the draft but also pledging that if reelected he will abolish draft registration and the Selective Service System. After all this is something that Ronald Reagan promised in 1980 but, like his promise to abolish the Education Department, never followed through on.
