¶ … Speech or Letter
Currently there is a great deal of controversy surrounding the issue of the reinstatement of the draft in the United States. There are rumors and whispers rampantly floating through the media that are frightening the general public, while the officials who are actually in the know about the subject are categorically denying such intentions. In an article written just a few days ago the Coastal Post (with no byline) contends that a military and civilian draft is inevitable by spring 2005. (Coastal Post Online (http://www.coastalpost.com/04/07/01.htm)
The title of the article in and of itself is inflammatory "Military and Civilian Draft Expected in 2005 For 18- to 25-year-olds." The article goes on to state that there are two pending bills in the House and Senate (twin bills: S. 89 and HR 163) meaning Senate bill 89 and House of Representatives bill 163. The article states that those two bills, "will time the initiation of a military and civilian service draft which will allow the program to begin as early as Spring 2005-just after the 2004 presidential election." The language of the article gives the impression that the "legislation" will become law, even though nearly countless pieces of legislation transverse the house and senate every legislative term that have little support and never become law.
The article also states that the
If the response from the administration is "No we are not trying to get these bills passed," then obviously they are in denial and if they say, "Yes, we are changing our whole historical perspective on the voluntary military service and we are now in favor of this legislation," then they aren't being very quit are they?
The next peace of evidence mentioned by the unknown author of this article is that the Selective Service System (SSS for short like the Nazi SS) has had a budget increase of 28$ million dollars in this fiscal year. Though 28$ million dollars may seem like a lot of money to the average person, in the context of governmental service budgets it is a drop in the bucket. A 28$ million dollar budget increase for a federally funded and national program could be absorbed into one or two computer hardware and software upgrades and a few cost of living raises for the staff. Not to mention that between 1998, at the onset of the ability to register online, and June 11th 2001 one million men registered for the Selective Service online alone, those are…
