Obama's Chief of Staff Promoting Mandatory Defense Training

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by firstdown

Wow, so far most people agree but it seems most here agreeing served. If Bush had sugested this the press would be going nuts about forcing people to serve. They would be using words like slavery and things like that.

They'd call him a Nazi (again).

So, scared yet people?

[saden1]

Originally Posted by firstdown

Wow, so far most people agree but it seems most here agreeing served. If Bush had sugested this the press would be going nuts about forcing people to serve. They would be using words like slavery and things like that.

The media argument is getting tiring. You know it's played out when Shep Smith is getting tired.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by firstdown

Wow, so far most people agree but it seems most here agreeing served. If Bush had sugested this the press would be going nuts about forcing people to serve. They would be using words like slavery and things like that.

If nothing else, you know at least one person (sound like clek35) would be all over it.

There have been at least 4 years (as long as I've been here) of Bush bashing threads (some deserved, several not so much) so there shouldn't be much complaining if the tide is turned now and Obama and the members of his administration are scrutinized and criticized at every turn.

That said, for the love of God man, can we just drop this until at least the off-season? How is no one sick of this political talk yet?

[MTK]

Isn't this taken from an interview with Emanuel in 2006? Is there any current info on this? I don't see anything mandatory here

Barack Obama and Joe Biden: The Change We Need | Service

[EternalEnigma21]

I never liked that dude. Even if he supports it and presents the idea, its not going to get passed.

[FRPLG]

This is exactly the type of stuff that SHOULDN'T go on in our country. Our country was founded on the principles of a weak federal gov't that had the capability to provide national defense and some semblance of coordination between 50 SEPERATE states with common goals. Not some giant monolith that ruled over everyone. We have wandered so far from that original objective. If he wants to institute something like this because we need more military people then stop bullshitting and call it a draft. Stop trying to pretty it up with some emotional argument about "common experience". This type of thinking would be completely counter to what our country was founded on really. FORCING people to do something. Of course I guess our conutry is becoming more and more about forcing people to do things everyday. And I don't care what other countries do. The old adage about jumping off a bridge because your friend did it first comes to mind. Just because someone else does it doesn't make it right.

I hope Obama doesn't hold this same thought. I do worry though that his foundational thinking isn't as contrary as I think it would be.

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

This is exactly the type of stuff that SHOULDN'T go on in our country. Our country was founded on the principles of a weak federal gov't that had the capability to provide national defense and some semblance of coordination between 50 SEPERATE states with common goals. Not some giant monolith that ruled over everyone. We have wandered so far from that original objective. If he wants to institute something like this because we need more military people then stop bullshitting and call it a draft. Stop trying to pretty it up with some emotional argument about "common experience". This type of thinking would be completely counter to what our country was founded on really. FORCING people to do something. Of course I guess our conutry is becoming more and more about forcing people to do things everyday. And I don't care what other countries do. The old adage about jumping off a bridge because your friend did it first comes to mind. Just because someone else does it doesn't make it right.

I hope Obama doesn't hold this same thought. I do worry though that his foundational thinking isn't as contrary as I think it would be.

We force our children to go to school everyday, hell, its even backed by law. Why do we do it? Because we want some sort of baseline education for all Americans. Education provides better opportunities for success. Not everyone has to go to college.

What would this Mandatory Defense Training provide? A baseline education in combat skills and survival for all Americans. It will provide them with greater opportunities for success. Not everyone has to sign up for full blown Military service.

You probably supported the removal of PE from schools too, didn't you?

[wolfeskins]

Originally Posted by Angry

We force our children to go to school everyday, hell, its even backed by law. Why do we do it? Because we want some sort of baseline education for all Americans. Education provides better opportunities for success. Not everyone has to go to college.

What would this Mandatory Defense Training provide? A baseline education in combat skills and survival for all Americans. It will provide them with greater opportunities for success. Not everyone has to sign up for full blown Military service.

You probably supported the removal of PE from schools too, didn't you?

come on now, that has to be the most retarded comparison i've ever heard. are you really trying to make a connection between education in math, science, history,etc.. to learning military tactics ?

[wolfeskins]

what's next, taking babies from their families and forcing them to learn gymnastics and compete in the olympics ?

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by wolfeskins

come on now, that has to be the most retarded comparison i've ever heard. are you really trying to make a connection between education in math, science, history,etc.. to learning military tactics ?

Yes, because military training teaches you map reading, history, math, land navigation, first aid, physical education, problem solving, communication skills, and it makes you grow the hell up really quick because they instill discipline.

Why do yo think that employers try to snatch us up so quickly? Because our training goes beyond the battlefield. Tactics and how to shoot a rifle are only a portion of the skills learned by the soldier.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by Angry

Yes, because military training teaches you map reading, history, math, land navigation, first aid, physical education, problem solving, communication skills, and it makes you grow the hell up really quick because they instill discipline.

Why do yo think that employers try to snatch us up so quickly? Because our training goes beyond the battlefield. Tactics and how to shoot a rifle are only a portion of the skills learned by the soldier.

Sounds like a perfect solution to our obesity problem.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by Angry

We force our children to go to school everyday, hell, its even backed by law. Why do we do it? Because we want some sort of baseline education for all Americans. Education provides better opportunities for success. Not everyone has to go to college.

What would this Mandatory Defense Training provide? A baseline education in combat skills and survival for all Americans. It will provide them with greater opportunities for success. Not everyone has to sign up for full blown Military service.

You probably supported the removal of PE from schools too, didn't you?

Educating children isn't quite the same in my book. We don't force people to go to college. There are defined lines we already have.

[Miller101]

I like the idea, but 3 months!?!?!? Thanks kind of a joke...............and a waste of time! If you're going to do it; do it right! Make it at least one year.

[saden1]

You know what I really want to do? I want to do all that cool stuff national guardsmen do without the possibility of having to go to war, get a stop-loss letter, and then lose my job. That's not too much to ask is it? I'm willing to dig ditches, throw sandbags, and protect the people in the event of a zombie epidemic.

[EternalEnigma21]

Originally Posted by saden1

You know what I really want to do? I want to do all that cool stuff national guardsmen do without the possibility of having to go to war, get a stop-loss letter, and then lose my job. That's not too much to ask is it? I'm willing to dig ditches, throw sandbags, and protect the people in the event of a zombie epidemic.

You know they have something very similar to that. Its called the coast guard. I have some friends who went after high school. I kick myself all the time for not going as well.