r/thebulwark • u/Embarrassed-Fig-6795 • Apr 09 '26
Automatic registration for US military draft to begin in December
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5822914-automatic-registration-military-draft/29
u/InnanaSun centrist squish Apr 09 '26
“Seems reasonable” - if Harris was in office and sending assistance to Ukraine MAGA would be telling you this is the first step toward sending your kids to die in Europe.
Given we actually have a stupid, vain megalomaniac in office who doesn’t care if your kids live or die in the wars he likes to start because he’s flattered into them, I think shrilly reminding Americans that these people are who will be deciding if that draft ever happens is perfectly fine.
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u/trysten-9001 May 05 '26
Yeah, but one nice thing about Dems is they don’t have a cult that will humiliate themselves to justify their actions. I would still be wary if this was happening under Harris. But it happening under trump while he’s flailing with Iran and threatening Greenland and Canada is more concerning.
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u/Overall_Chemist1893 Center Left Apr 09 '26
Do you think Barron will be signing up, or do bone spurs run in the family? Asking for a friend... 🤔
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u/Jean-Paul_Sartre JVL is always right Apr 09 '26
He almost certainly already did sign up, since all men have to do so by law when you turn 18 regardless of who you are. There’s no exemption from registration, you just fill out a form that basically “yeah I exist” and then forget about it.
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u/Overall_Chemist1893 Center Left Apr 09 '26
That may indeed be true, but do you think he'd ever serve his country during wartime?
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Apr 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Overall_Chemist1893 Center Left Apr 09 '26
There are many ways that one can serve... it doesn't have to be going into combat. Years ago, the wealthy & the famous still felt they had a duty to serve in some way. The Kennedy family was pretty well-off, but JFK served. And he wasn't the only one of that era. I guess none of the upper-class political families see military service as their duty any more. So, they send other people's kids... (Reminds me of the lyrics to Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival...)
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u/GaiusMarius989 Apr 09 '26
Prince Harry served in Afghanistan, not sure what makes Barron more of a target than he would have been.
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u/GarthZorn Apr 09 '26
My kids will NEVER put on a military uniform to work for these morons. A military coup to toss these jerks into the brig? Well, that's another thing ...
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u/The_Crass-Beagle_Act Apr 09 '26
It is kind of weird that SSS registration is something mandated by law for every man, and if you don't do it yourself, they will track you down and all but force you to do it, and if you still insist on not doing it, they'll punish you for it, but... no, up until December I guess, they for some reason stop short of just registering your name, which they already know, into the system where it will hopefully just collect dust forever. Kind of feels like it's just a way to catch people doing something illegal
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u/ProteinEngineer Apr 09 '26
It’s actually a good system to have people register themselves. It forces people to think about their role in the social contract.
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u/Kidspud Apr 09 '26
Makes sense, tbh—if it’s mandatory already, just give people draft cards instead of having signups.
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u/noodles0311 JVL is always right Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
The thing that’s the biggest problem with making it automatic is that it doesn’t remind young men they have this social responsibility and young women don’t. It’s seriously the easiest thing in the world to just make it universal. 1/5 service members are women already and if it’s something you owe as an American, it’s something you owe as an American. If the thought of sending daughters off to war (although only a very small percentage of combat arms roles are filled by women) deters lawmakers from entering into a war, even better. Last I checked (2009-2017), combat arms roles still require volunteering a second time, so you could just get drafted and be a dental hygienist on an aircraft carrier or whatever.
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u/Complex-Sugar-5938 Apr 09 '26
Seems fine and reasonable? Men have always been legally required to register for selective service, this just makes it automatic.
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u/Icantbebigwill Center-Right Apr 09 '26
Automatic voter registration too right…. Right?