Giving credit to Pelosi...

I'm not normally a fan, however giving credit where credit is due?

This was promising as far as common sense:

Also on Monday, Rep. Charles Rangel, a New York Democrat, pushed again on his argument that the military draft should be reinstated.

Rangel, incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, had said Sunday that "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."

The Rev. Jesse Jackson endorsed Rangel's position, saying the country currently has "a backdoor draft."

But House Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi, talking to reporters Monday, said restoring the draft will not be on the early legislative priority list for the 110th Congress. Incoming House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer added, "The speaker and I discussed scheduling and it did not include that."

I also point out what is known as "Myth 3" that Jesse Jackson and Rep Rangel seem to continue to perpetuate:

Myth 3: The military attracts a disproportionate number of poor or underprivileged youth.

In reality, military recruits mirror the U.S. population and are solidly middle class, Carr said. He cited a recent Heritage Foundation report that shows most recruits come from middle-class families, rather than poorer or wealthier ones. Patterns in recent years reinforce this trend, showing a slight dip in recruits from lower socioeconomic groups and a slight increase from upper-class groups, Carr said.

Yes, I know the Heritage Foundation is "conservative", yet take a look at the research on this topic and I've not seen a credible report that demonstrates there is not some accuracy in what the Heritage Foundation is reporting on this issue. Especially given that they list the methodology they are using:

Like their peers in 1999 and 2003, recruits in 2004 and 2005 came primarily from middle-class areas. Poor areas are proportionally underrepre­sented in the wartime years (2003–2005).

The Department of Defense (DOD) does not track family income data for recruits, and there are no individual income data for enlistees. Military service is the first full-time job for most of them. We approx­imate each recruit’s household income by using the median household income of his or her hometown ZIP code.