Selective Service - Keep it or Ditch it?

[David Floyd]

Selective Service is basically the system in which every American male over the age of 18 must register by law. The purpose is basically to provide a potential draft pool if the draft were ever restarted.

Some people view this is a responsible precaution, yet others view this is an unnecessary invasion of privacy.

My viewpoint is that since I believe the draft is wrong, in EVERY circumstance, then a mechanism that would facilitate the draft must be wrong too, and furthermore, it is a system of the government attempting to keep tabs on the whereabouts of millions of Americans, and I disagree with that as well.

What do YOU think?

[Chris 62]

Normally I would say dump it, but since I know you hate it, keep it just to bust your balls.

[Felch]

It costs money and does no good. Ditch it.

[David Floyd]

Normally I would say dump it, but since I know you hate it, keep it just to bust your balls.

[loinburger]

It's only current use, as far as I can see, is for purposes of raising a militia in times of crisis. Ignoring the unlikelihood of us ever needing a militia, the state or local governments would probably be the ones raising one anyway, not the feds. Ditch it.

[Richelieu]

Originally posted by loinburger
---"f u cn rd ths, u cn gt a gd jb n cmptr prgmmng."

w sh!!!

On topic : Ditch it. When they need to find you, they'll find you...

[rah]

The real question is cost vs. value.

Think of it as an insurance policy. Hope we don't ever need it again. But if we do, it will save a lots of time and expense, which will be critical if we ever really need it.

[DinoDoc]

David is just mad that he had to sign up for the draft in order to mooch of the federal government for financial aid.

[David Floyd]

David is just mad that he had to sign up for the draft in order to mooch of the federal government for financial aid.

I don't receive federal financial aid. I have a couple of unsubsidized loans, and scholarships provided by UT and private sources.

rah,

Think of it as an insurance policy. Hope we don't ever need it again. But if we do, it will save a lots of time and expense, which will be critical if we ever really need it.

I would maintain that we have never actually needed it to defend the nation, which should be the only purpose of any military. We might have "needed" it for offensive purposes, but offensive actions are never necessary.

So what you're saying is sounds sorta like this, to me - keep it in case we need it for something that isn't necessary.

[Sava]

Scholarships are a form of welfare... most anti-welfare right wingers don't realize this.

Anyways, selective service is necessary. If there is a massive ground war, the US needs the power to send out cannon fodder. Even though I'm required by law to sign up, I didn't. I'm 22 now... another 4 years and I won't be eligible for the draft, MUHAHAHA. (I hope Ashcroft doesn't come to my house and detain me for not signing up )

[David Floyd]

Scholarships are a form of welfare... most anti-welfare right wingers don't realize this.

True, but they are merit-based, and many of them are private, so it really isn't the same as welfare, now is it?

Anyways, selective service is necessary. If there is a massive ground war, the US needs the power to send out cannon fodder.

Why would we need to get involved in a massive overseas ground war?

Even though I'm required by law to sign up, I didn't. I'm 22 now... another 4 years and I won't be eligible for the draft, MUHAHAHA.

Hypocrite.

One thing that IS interesting is that they haven't prosecuted a case of not signing up for Selective Service since the early 1980s, because it was found that when people were prosecuted for not signing up, the percentage of people who signed up actually DECREASED.

[Q Classic]

i think it's utterly stupid. i hate the draft. i don't think we'll ever need it, and it's not like i need anything to compel me to defend my homeland from those damn canadians with their flappy heads (do they even have a military?).

but seriously, i think it's a waste of money. it's not being used, and it's just another thing to suck up money and time and personal information while giving me yet another id number for me to forget and lose.

[dunk]

Originally posted by David Floyd
Why would we need to get involved in a massive overseas ground war?

Who said it would be overseas? I would think the draft would be most useful if the US were ever to be invaded.

I say the selective service is a good thing.

And just because you pass the "draft age" doesn't mean you won't be drafted if the $hit hits the fan. IIRC, Britain drafted men up to 45 or so for WWII.

The only thing about the draft that troubles me is that a declaration of war isn't required to use it. The authority to use the draft should lie with Congress, IMO.

[David Floyd]

Who said it would be overseas? I would think the draft would be most useful if the US were ever to be invaded.

How likely do you think this is? About as likely as an alien invasion, perhaps?
Maybe we better start arming the space shuttle with nuclear missiles, just in case the Borg show up

The only thing about the draft that troubles me is that a declaration of war isn't required to use it. The authority to use the draft should lie with Congress, IMO.

It already does, AFAIK.

[Dis]

actually I don't think the draft is wrong.

There's a little thing called society. And society has written and unwritten rules.

You cannot do whatever you like in society. You can't go around raping people, or killing people, or jerking off outside. Society does not allow it. We have a code we live by. And one of those codes is that the able bodied men defend the society from attack.

In all the above scenarios if you don't want to follow societies rules you have to leave and become a hermit or something.

I suggest studying moral/ethical codes of society more. They aren't written down, but you notice them when walking down the street.