By FOY EVANS
The subject of reviving the draft has surfaced again. President Bush’s war advisor – Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute – has taken note of the fact that the army is stretched out almost to the breaking point. It is having difficulty reaching its quotas while demands on active duty soldiers and Marines are increasing.
The draft, which served this country well during World War II and the Korean War, was abolished during the administration of President Richard Nixon. Attempts to revive the draft or even discuss it seriously have fallen on deaf ears. Gen. Lute has been quoted as saying the draft always has been on the table but has faced congressional opposition.
Will the result be different this time?
In order to keep military strength up the Army is upping the ante by offering all sorts of monetary incentives. Proponents of the draft contend that the time will come when even big payouts of cash will not serve the country’s needs, especially if the United States is going to continue to expand its role as policeman for the entire world.
I did not believe that doing away with the draft was a good idea, in the first place. The benefits of a couple of years in the military would far exceed the inconvenience of interrupting lives temporarily. I served 48 months. It interrupted what I thought was a promising career, but I would not take anything for the time I served and the long time benefits I received from it.
There probably are millions of young men and women in desperate need of the kind of discipline that military service would provide them.
It could turn gang members and would-be gang members into useful citizens. Even many young people coming from good families with good parents could stand structure and discipline in their lives. After all, haven’t we been pampering our offspring too much for too long? For the present, Gen. Lute seems to believe that this is something worth debating. The question is whether it will get traction at a time the military needs more bodies.
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More than 28 million Americans have jobs but no bank account. A bridge in Minnesota collapses. Crops are burning up. A mine shaft in Utah collapses. People are drowning in flash floods. President George Bush sure has been busy destroying our country.
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The man who caught Barry Bonds’ home run which tied Hank Aaron’s record was in for a big surprise. If he keeps it he will be liable for as much as $200,000 income tax, based on an estimated value of the ball. He is wisely auctioning the ball off. The fact that he would have to pay income tax if he keeps the ball is a reflection on our repressive and fouled up tax laws.
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I have a friend who is vacationing in Australia. We have exchanged e-mails while he is there. I don’t believe that any of us fully appreciates how miraculous this is.
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How about the man who ordered a hamburger and said, “Hold the cheese”? A not untypical McDonald’s employee didn’t hold the cheese. Now the man is suing for $10 million. Too bad he didn’t order coffee and sue because it was hot. Some judge should throw him out of court and make him pay court costs.
It would be nice if judges all over the country cracked down on people who file frivolous lawsuits. The court system could stand the relief and businesses would not be bridled with astronomical legal fees defending themselves.
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Overheard: “I feel like a prisoner in my own home. Every time I step outside the heat hits me in the face so hard I retreat back inside.”
