gabe, your ideals and priorities are exemplary and your writing good. Welcome and thanks.
Posted by euzoius at September 19, 2007 08:26 AMMandate national service? No thanks, one example of Hitler Youth in history is one too many.
Posted by skeptic at September 19, 2007 09:49 AMHeaven forbid we make national service manditory. Can't inconvience those trying to get on with their lives, can we. Let's remember this when the global warming alarmist are trying to get us to accept their goals.
Posted by peter at September 19, 2007 10:16 AMYes. Heaven forbid we fostered a sense of civic duty amongst the young hordes of future venture capitalists and investment bankers!
Posted by snark at September 19, 2007 10:29 AMI like Chris Dodd too Gabe. He says sensible things rooted in our liberal democracy's history and gretaest triumphs. Sometimes I wonder if he is a little too politic, reasonsable and sensible in these decidely unreasonable unsensible and impolitic times. I could support him and have not made up my mind although I have supported John Edwards in the past. Haven't seen to much of John lately.
Posted by John B. at September 19, 2007 10:38 AMSnark, nice to see how much FDR's spirit rest within you. You're a great example of what those Democrats didn't stand for.
Posted by peter at September 19, 2007 10:53 AMWelcome to the Mosh pit Gabe. I too like much of what Chris Dodd has stood for and what he's saying currently is very hopeful. As a cynic, I can't help but note that, being at the back of the pack is very liberating.
There is much ballyhoo on this thread on the idea of National Service. I think it's an admirable goal, but I certainly would never advocate it being made universal. First of all, some people are just unsuited, emotionally or intellectually to such endeavors. My other objection is based on numbers. How are you going to find, manage and reward a new, two or three million "Service members" each year. And just what would we have them do?
Posted by DeminNewJ at September 19, 2007 10:59 AMHow are you going to find, manage and reward a new, two or three million "Service members" each year.
Yeah, that's the problem with compulsory military service. There are somewhere between 2-3 million 18 year olds in the country. It would make the Iraq War spending look like a pitance.
And just what would we have them do?
There's plenty of stuff on my "honeydo" list they could help out with.
Posted by snark at September 19, 2007 11:35 AMI am sure the national service projects are great as long as they serve progressive ends. What happens when another Bush gets elected (and it WILL happen again)? You guys never learn. Just as myopic as the GOP.
Posted by skeptic at September 19, 2007 11:38 AMwe don't need a draft as long as our government keeps paying high dollar contracts to Blackwater-type mercenaries to do the fighting instead of draftees.
Gabe, I too have enjoyed some of Dodd's comments and positions. Unfortunately he has zero chance of getting nominated and hence will not be president. sorry.
pants-pissing peter: "Let's remember this when the global warming alarmist are trying to get us to accept their goals."
so you have now declared war on science and the Enlightenment
may you drown with the polar bears
Posted by Gay Veteran at September 19, 2007 12:30 PMI must admit I have been more impressed with Dodd than I originally believed I would be...he's saying a lot of the right things on important issues...but as T2 points out, unfortunately his chances of actually getting the nomination are pretty slim.... though it's nice to have his ideas out there and I appreciate him for expressing them.
Thanks for posting.
Posted by emal at September 19, 2007 01:08 PMYou mean the over 3000 still running around in Sweden alone? Seems there's more there now than 30 years ago when only 5000 were around in the whole world. They aren't drowning there. What a farce, man made warming, natural warming from the sun sure, man made no way, well maybe .01% if you want to measure.
Posted by peter at September 19, 2007 01:13 PMWell at least we know what the mouth-breathing knuckle-draggers think.
Posted by snark at September 19, 2007 01:59 PMGlobal warming is an interesting problem for social/political accountability. Usually citizens are not held responsible for their selfish, ignorant "political" views and decisions. But here, scientists have told us unequivocally that burning fossil fuels at the levels we are will destroy the earth's future climate permanently and result in enormous ecological, social and economic damage.
Using countermajoritarian devices in our constitution (i.e. nonaction in the conservative senate), conservatives will succeed in blocking any action necessary to solve the problem prior to the tipping point, that's now quite clear.
Shouldn't we find some way of holding accountable the deniers like peter after we have passed the tipping point and the effects become irreversible?
What is basically happening is that a minority of selfish, brain-dead, game-playing American "conservatives" are holding all future generations and species hostage to planetary destruction, yet these ignorant citizens will likely just be ending their "natural" lives as the meltdown gets underway (assuming that radical feedback/acceleration mechanisms don't occur). In other words, they will get to live out their selfish-pig lives, and won't be around to have to bear the full effects of their destructive, obstructionist behavior, despite the extremely clear warning they (and we) received.
It's very easy to deny the scientists when you will never be held accountable or suffer the effects of your arrogant, know-nothing behavior. It doesn't seem fair that deniers can block saving the earth, yet get away scot-free when their certain error comes to pass, does it? Any ideas on how to hold them personally accountable for their blocking of neeeded action?
Just wanted to make known that my comment at 1:59pm regarding mouth-breathing knuckle-draggers was directed at a comment since deleted. Not at peter's comment. Little as I think of him I wouldn't put him in the mouth-breathing knuckle-dragger catagory.
Posted by snark at September 19, 2007 07:23 PMEuzoius,
Unfortunately, no. Without descending to a level I don't want to visit, there is only the option of struggling to bring a more enlightened result to our shared world, whether they appreciate it or not. Don't despair, persevere in spite of the monumental ignorance and stupidity. Perhaps they'll drown in a gentle rainstorm by looking up with their perennially open mouths, like the turkeys they are.
Posted by DeminNewJ at September 19, 2007 07:42 PMeuzoius: "they will get to live out their selfish-pig lives, and won't be around to have to bear the full effects of their destructive, obstructionist behavior, despite the extremely clear warning they (and we) received."
excellent point, euzoius, I don't care if THEIR stoopidity hurts them but I do care when THEIR stoopidity hurts us non-mouth-breathing non-knuckle-dragging residents of this planet
pants-pissing peter probably thinks early man rode a dinosaur
Posted by gay veteran at September 20, 2007 05:37 AM
Mandatory national service would rip this country apart!
Would you be willing to spread the word about www.draftresistance.org? It's a site dedicated to shattering the myths surrounding the selective slavery system and building mass civil disobedience to stop the draft before it starts!
Our banner on a website, printing and posting the anti-draft flyer or just telling friends would help.
Thanks!
Scott Kohlhaas
PS. When it comes to conscription, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!