Lawmakers call for end to draft registration in U.S.
Reps. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., and Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., say the Pentagon has no interest in returning to conscription due to the success of the all-volunteer force.
The Selective Service has a budget of $24 million and a full-time staff of 130. It maintains a database of about 17 million potential male draftees. In the event of a draft, the agency would mobilize as many as 11,000 volunteers to serve on local draft boards that would decide if exemptions or deferments to military service were warranted.
The Selective Service is an “inexpensive insurance policy,” said Lawrence Romo, the agency’s director. “We are the true backup for the true emergency.”
Men between the ages of 18 and 25, who often register online or by mail, who don’t register with the Selective Service can be charged with a felony. The Justice Department hasn’t prosecuted anyone for that offense since 1986.
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I think we should expand it to include women.
astonerii on February 25, 2013 at 3:08 PM
It’s either this, which is understandably more palatable, or force women to sign up for the selective service. Personally I hope the forced registration is stopped.
MoreLiberty on February 25, 2013 at 3:09 PM
Well … it’s either end registration or require women to adhere to the same laws that men do.
No combat restriction anymore folks – welcome to the brave new world.
HondaV65 on February 25, 2013 at 3:09 PM
Probably a way to make certain that Obama is given retroactive immunity for his failure to register anyways.
astonerii on February 25, 2013 at 3:09 PM
Women are suddenly allowed into combat roles and now there is an attempt to repeal selective service?
Coincidence?
Naaaaaaaaw!
LincolntheHun on February 25, 2013 at 3:09 PM
Wait. Which is it? Women have to register because we’re all super equally equal or there is no draft?
I’m so confused.
Washington Nearsider on February 25, 2013 at 3:14 PM
They need to make up their mind.
Draft or no draft…?
NeoKong on February 25, 2013 at 3:37 PM
Definitely has to go, the savings would practically wipe out the national debt.
……. or .00000000000000001 % of it anyway.
Let’s get rid of the IRS instead, they have over 100,000 employees. Slightly higher than 130.
fogw on February 25, 2013 at 3:38 PM
I’ve known several people who’ve gotten off scott free for not registering. Anyway get rid of it. It reeks of jimmy carter. Understandably, those people want to protect their jobs.
Red Creek on February 25, 2013 at 3:39 PM
Byech! That’s reason enough to throw it out the window.
And in any case, I find it underhanded to force people to register for a draft when we haven’t drafted anyone in decades and are not going to for some time. WTF is the point?
MelonCollie on February 25, 2013 at 3:45 PM
I think the selective service is problematic for Democrats right now so I say keep it as is. I haven’t heard much noise about women on the front lines for a few weeks so I don’t think it’s as popular as their fake polls indicated. There is also the problem of an “obligation class” which is pretty much white males and a “benefits only class” which is pretty much everyone else. The draft at least gives the appearance of every male being prepared to fulfill an obligation of citizenship.
I still think all dual citizens should be conscripted into the US military and forced to serve a few years, if the insane concept of dual citizenship is to be kept.
Buddahpundit on February 25, 2013 at 3:49 PM
Sign the ladies up. They’ve been so use to picking and choosing when and how they’re equal. Give them just a taste of true equality.
DFCtomm on February 25, 2013 at 4:31 PM
I figured I’d better join before I get drafted…
CycloneCDB on February 25, 2013 at 4:41 PM
So now that there’s not much excuse to keep females from signing up, they should get rid of it?
I question the timing.
catmman on February 25, 2013 at 4:50 PM
There would have been no effective anti-Vietnam-war movement if there had been no draft. I know, I was there.
Tyrone Slothrop on February 25, 2013 at 6:01 PM