Not a Draft, But Hot Air

IN the Democrats’ long history of dishonest vote-grubbing, their recent perpetuation of rumors that President Bush will bring back the military draft is not the most shameless—but it might make the top ten.

The last American to be drafted into the military reported to boot camp in 1973, the year the U.S. pulled out of Vietnam and President Nixon abolished the draft. Since then, no elected official or Pentagon policymaker has seriously suggested its restoration. Legislation to restore the draft has been introduced in Congress, by Rep. Charles Rangel of New York and Sen. Ernest Hollings of South Carolina, both liberal Democrats. These lawmakers have been refreshingly honest in admitting that their action aims to undermine public support for the war in Iraq, and to build support for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. And yet: The Democratic party’s leaders have been screaming from the rooftops to gullible teenagers and their parents that President Bush is going to abduct America’s children for use as cannon fodder.

About the Author

Jim Geraghty

Jim Geraghty is the senior political correspondent of National Review.

Featured Tags

Presidential Election

IN the Democrats’ long history of dishonest vote-grubbing, their recent perpetuation of rumors that President Bush will bring back the military draft is not the most shameless—but it might make the top ten.

The last American to be drafted into the military reported to boot camp in 1973, the year the U.S. pulled out of Vietnam and President Nixon abolished the draft. Since then, no elected official or Pentagon policymaker has seriously suggested its restoration. Legislation to restore the draft has been introduced in Congress, by Rep. Charles Rangel of New York and Sen. Ernest Hollings of South Carolina, both liberal Democrats. These lawmakers have been refreshingly honest in admitting that their action aims to undermine public support for the war in Iraq, and to build support for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. And yet: The Democratic party’s leaders have been screaming from the rooftops to gullible teenagers and their parents that President Bush is going to abduct America’s children for use as cannon fodder.