Posted 10/05/2004 08:48:00 PM by Douglas

There's a draft in the House of Representatives? Did someone leave the door open? It's only October?

No, not that kind of draft, the violation of the 13th amendment kind of draft.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday crushed a bill to reinstitute the draft as Republicans accused Democrats of raising the specter of compulsory military service to turn voters against President Bush's reelection bid.

With the presidential and congressional elections less than a month away, the White House also worked to dampen draft rumors that Republicans said have been fueled by Democrats. It threatened to veto the bill it called "both unnecessary and counterproductive."

I'm sorry, but I've read this whole damn article, and I still can't figure out what it's saying. Is there a bill, is there a rumor of a bill? I just don't know. I don't know what the Democrats are trying to quell. But I can say this. The most unoriginal war-cliche of the article this time around goes to Rep. John Dingell of Michigan:

"This is a rich man's war, and it's a poor man's fight," said Rep. John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat.

Thanks, John. It's that kind of 1,000 year old, blindingly unenlightened insight that's putting your party on the fast-track towards becoming the Whigs of the 21st Century.

Longtime readers will know I'm not a big fan of the draft, (main link is dead, but link to HR-163 is good, but PDF. Sorry) but to use it for political wrangling is just plain stupid. The bill, HR-163, exists. Read it before booking your VW bus trip to Canada.