Rangel Wants Draft. , Oh and OJ Cancelled.

Hey folks,

"I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project," said Rupert Murdoch, News Corp. chairman. "We are sorry for any pain that this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson."

Um, glad we cleared that one up. I wonder if he got an advance? Does he have to give it back? Actually I really couldn’t care less. I am glad to see that Rupert Murdoch finally got it.

Now to the Draft. So Rangel wants the Draft? He is joking. Right? He cannot be serious. Right? Actually he said,

"You bet your life. Underscore serious. There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and administration thought their kids from their communities will be placed in harm's way. I will be introducing that bill as soon as we start the new session."

He also said,

"If we're going to challenge Iran and challenge North Korea and then, as some people have asked, to send more troops to Iraq, we can't do that without a draft," CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday.

{Sigh} You know what folks. I’m sitting here in "The Chair," Coffee on my right side. Thinking to myself. {I really don’t feel like being here right now} Seriously. Why? It’s just way too easy right now. I have been telling you people for a LONG time now, that these people are nuts. They are Looney. Hence, Left Wing Looneys, the LWL.

They are NOT even in office yet, and they have already started to flip flop on nearly EVERYTHING they said. Repeal of all of Bush’s tax cuts. They are starting to back away from this now. Impeach Bush, investigations on EVERYTHING. They are backing away from this now. Cut and run in Iraq. I even said, fine. If we are no longer in this to win, then do not wait another day. Bring them home now. NOW? Well, we can’t. We may even need to send MORE.

Now Charlie the Wrangler is trying to wrangle up support for the Draft? Do you NOT remember 2004? He posed this bill then. Back then, it would create a national-service draft under which all 18- to 26-year-olds would serve in the military or perform two years of national service as determined by the President. Rangel has been advocating a draft for several years. This is not really a new thing.

So what happened in 2004? {Laughing} He voted AGAINST it. Yes, you heard me corr,,, make that, read correctly. He voted against his own bill. Well, here, from "The Hill" By Michael Gerber, October 6, 2004

"Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) did something a little unusual yesterday. First he protested when Republican leadership scheduled his own bill for a vote.

Then he sent out a letter encouraging his Democratic colleagues to vote against it.

Rangel’s bill, which the leadership had placed on the suspension calendar, would create a national-service draft under which all 18- to 26-year-olds would serve in the military or perform two years of national service as determined by the president. Rangel has been advocating a draft for several years, but he argued yesterday that the bill was too important for the suspension calendar, "which is reserved for non-controversial items," he said in a statement.

Bills on the suspension calendar cannot be amended on the floor and require two-thirds of the House to clear the chamber.

Rangel accused Republicans of using his bill to assuage fears that President Bush had plans to reinstate the draft, stating, "The Republican leadership decision to place the draft legislation on the suspension Calendar is a political maneuver to kill rumors of the President’s intention to reinstate the draft after the November election."

He went on to urge Democrats running for reelection to vote no.

"I am voting no, because my bill deserves serious consideration," his statement continued"

{Laughing again} What happened is he said he wanted the Draft. The Republicans at the time said, OK, lets put it to a yes or no vote. No last minute changes. No adding or subtracting. Just the Draft, yes or no. He said no. It seems they wanted to know how serious he was. They found out, he wasn't. Now he says, that he is "Underscore serious", and that he will "be introducing that bill as soon as we start the new session." Well, I do not think so my dear Senator. Those the Wrangler is trying to wrangle are running away from him.

According to the Reuters,

"Leading Democrats who soon will control the legislative agenda in the U.S. Congress rejected on Monday a colleague's call for reinstatement of the U.S. military draft.

"I don't think we need it," Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan told reporters. He is set to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee when Democrats take over both houses of Congress from Republicans in January."

Break

"The top two Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives also voiced their opposition to a plan being pushed by Rep. Charles Rangel (news, bio, voting record), a New York Democrat, for drafting soldiers into the army for the first time since 1973.

"We did not include that" in legislative plans for early next year, said Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, who will be House majority leader when the new Congress convenes in January.

Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California noted her opposition to the draft in remarks to reporters. She said Rangel was trying to underscore that the U.S. war effort should be a "shared sacrifice" and his legislation was "a way to make that point."

Speaker To Be Pelosi came right out and said that the Draft will not be part of that agenda when Democrats take over the House in January.

So the LWL is backing away from yet ANOTHER member. The infighting in the Democratic party is amazing to watch. Now surprising, but interesting to watch none-the-less. Either Speaker To Be Pelosi is truly trying to be bipartisan, or at least give that appearance. The Moderates are starting to flex their new found power, and the Die Hard LWL is hanging on with a death grip. If I were in charge of the Republicans in either the House or Senate, I would be telling them, sit back, do nothing, just watch. Get ready though, for 2008.

Oh by the way, as a side note. Notice the attacks are revving up against Rudy already? {Smile} I’m telling you folks, it’s NOT because he is a far fringe, Religious Right Radical Republican, but because he IS a Moderate. Just a thought.
Peter

Sources:
AP- OJ "Simpson book, TV special canceled"
Reuters - "Key Democrats oppose renewing military draft"
AP- "House Democrat wants draft reinstated"
The Hill- "Rangel votes against own draft measure" October 6 2004
AP- "Pelosi: Relieving middle class tops list"