Monday, November 20, 2006

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.

3 comments:

Scott G said...

I don't have any facts to prove it, but when I was in, a lot of the people I served with came from the lower ends of the economic and education spectra. I don't know if it was a majority or not, but it was a large number. That was peace time though

Unknown said...

When my son and his best friend were deciding to enlist in the Air Force they told my son's best friend that he had to get his grades up or they wouldn't take him.

My son had asthma so they weren't interested in him but Walter went on to join up and just recently re-upped, he's in Germany right now.

If you look at the stats and the way they did them using zip codes, it does demonstrate that what Rangel and Jesse Jackson is saying is not accurate.

Hooda Thunkit (Dave Zawodny) said...

During Viet Nam, they were taking anything that could walk and were actively promoting those who did well on their standardized tests.

When I went for a draft required physical, they offered me anything that I wanted, even medical schooling, just to get me in. I politely declined their very generous offers, although, sometimes I wonder. . .

Pelosi may have been pulled aside recently and told to soft pedal the glee that momentarily slipped out a couple of days after the election, putting her back on track to a more contemplative demeanor.