TOTAL LICENSING
in his life (interview A draft also levels understanding of each oth- accounting of his study of the small
by George C. Wilson er across regional and cultural barriers. I, an Americorps cited monetary benefits of
in Washington Post Austrian Jewish teenage refugee, became a true $168 to $258 for every dollar invested in
1989 – see Slate July American in the army and my buddies from the three Americorps programs of this nature.
27, 2000 at http// backwoods of inner America found out that I
www.slate.com/id was, after all, not so different when the chips Do we overspend on our military?
1005761). were down - and they gained an understanding The historical tables of the budget of the U.S.
I do not mean to single of this foreign stranger. Just think of today’s Ori- government, fiscal year 2005,* tell us that what
out Cheney because ental or Latino foreigners living amongst us who we spend now is a smaller proportion of our
he’s now a leader and often are segregated in the popular mind. gross domestic product than it was at any time,
prominent – rather I would like to see him as an Wouldn’t our country be better served if the from1940 to the mid 90s (Cold War).
example of the attitude by many of the career- military were a part of the whole democratic *Source: U.S. government printing office
bound children of the elite who have come from experiment in law and spirit, rather than stand- In 1993, (post Cold War) we spent 4.4% of GDP.
backgrounds of comfort and education and who ing apart from it as just one other profession. Today it is 3.7%. To me, this means that many
have no time to waste in the race to the top. Some of our present youth who live in a culture of us do not really feel that there is a war on.
What changed these general attitudes so radi- of instant gratification might also benefit from It does not influence or affect us. Except for
cally – not withstanding even the shock to the the training and discipline that a draft might pro- security lines at airports and our dose of TV
nation of 9/11. Was it the unpopularity of the vide. watching, the burden and suffering of the war is
latter days of the Vietnam War vs. the feeling of But what would we do with all these sol- reserved for a very minute part of our popula-
righteous battle against barbarism in the WWII diers? How could we pay for the expense of tion and we need not have any financial commit-
generation? Is it the (even if muted) horror of all the training and administrative bureaucracy? ment to back up our official policies.
the TV camera on the battleground? William Galston, former domestic policy advi- It is surprising what you can find in statistics
Do we confuse political disagreement with gov- sor to President Clinton, Economist Robert outside of the prepared press releases and spin.
ernment aims with service in the military – and Litan of the Brookings Institution (a leading Notwithstanding pundits’ claims - we seem to
go on strike? think tank), Charles Moskos and Paul Glastis, have been operating on the cheap in Iraq.
Then: Bob Hope together with other entertain- who write for the Washington Monthly, have all We must assume the cost of some of the sug-
ment greats, visited the troops. written extensively about ideas for a system of gestions described could be budgeted without
Now: just imagine Leonardo Di Caprio or Brit- military and public universal service, and I bor- exploding our deficit and we might have a lot of
ney Spears visiting Iraq? row freely from them for ideas (remember the side benefits leading to other savings.
Americorps, the Peace Corps and existing vol- I would like to close this with tremendous praise
Does it all matter? You bet it does! unteer programs). for the integrity of our present military. Their
It becomes much easier to legislate or take risks • Have a compulsory lottery for all willingness to serve for the benefit of the rest of
when it is “them” over there rather than “mine” able-bodied 18 year olds and set us. Also endless gratitude for their dedication
that must serve. a percentage of these to be drawn (they and sense of purpose which we have asked from
Senator John McCain, ex war prisoner and suggest 20% to reduce expense and this minority.
widely admired, in an address two days after wholesale economic disruption).
the bombing of Afghanistan, spoke to the young • Litan suggests: allow a choice of: A new word has entered the American lan-
men at the US Naval Academy on October 9, either two years of military service for guage. Prompted by 9/11 it has become
2001….”soon you will be the shield behind those who choose it: widely used almost daily by almost all.
which marches the enduring message of our or one year national service in a domestic
Revolution. There is no greater honor…what- area and dedicate this service to, for TERROR and THE WAR ON TERROR
ever sacrifices you must bear you will know instance, providing social, medical, and The customary interpretation of the word
happiness far more sublime than pleasure”. other services to the elderly and “War” was an armed declared conflict between
Beautiful! Poetic! But how many of the elite low-income people. To clean up blighted the military forces of two opposing countries.
or how many of our immigrants would follow neighborhoods, etc. • Is a rebellion a war?
his banner? As Groucho Marx would have said • Charles Moskos and Paul Glastis add: non • Is an attack by disgruntled citizens (say, the
“real great but sorry, no cigar”. combat positions to provide personnel on Oklahoma Federal Building) a war?
A culture protecting or serving with pride (again the home front to guard dams, nuclear • Is the “war against drugs” a war?
Senator John McCain) can be much more perva- power plants, sports complexes, U.S. Why is this somewhat obtuse question impor-
sive when all share, than when we are “outside” embassies abroad, more border patrol tant?
in our involved personal preoccupied lives. and custom agents, more air marshals
It takes at least a year or two to train well a ci- on passenger jets, responders to natural Well, because there is this pesky Geneva Con-
vilian for combat. A draft would provide a much disaster, etc. etc. For all these jobs the vention signed by practically all nations in 1949,
more effective service population with its full country is understaffed or spends a lot long before there had been attacks on civilians
cross-section of all segments of population and of money in the commercial economy. by dispersed political opponents distributed in
education in it. It would also, after discharge, • Litan estimates that the 70 billion cost of small cells all over many locations, not united
create a reservoir of militarily trained individu- such programs would be saved in other into a nation - but united by an aggressive ide-
als. ways – for instance: a government ology. The Geneva Convention was further
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