Rangel wants vote on reinstating draft before vote on Syria

[Stinky The Clown]

40. Yes, I do mean more than military service

That's part of how I see things, but not what Rangell is asking for.

Charlie does this at every hint of war. As we all know, minorities and the poor are inordinately affected by war, even with today's volunteer military. For many, the military is the only way out of poverty. This is his way of reminding the country of this fact.

As to my own view, I think, as citizens, we have an obligation to give in order to get. The military is one way, but, in my view, hardly the only way. I think there are things each and every one of us can do for our country for some period of time, probably, but not necessarily, while we're young. Even the physically challenged can participate to the extent they're able. Service can be any job you can imagine. Painting schools, fighting forest fires, nursing or doctoring the poor, designing public buildings and then building them, serving in Americorps or the Peace Corps. Et cetera. You get the idea. It can be anything. Look to Roosevelt's CC and WPA programs for hints as to how this might be done.