How can we tell Congressman Charles Rangel to

[INdemo]

drop the subject about the draft. Tell him we see his point about rich kids fighting but some voters only understand that "The Democrats want to reinstate the draft"
Could you contact Nancy Pelosi and ask her to tell Charles Rangel to shut up.

http://democraticleader.house.gov/

[IndyOp]

1. Nope. I think many people are misinterpreting Rangel -

My understanding is that he said that IF * wants to go to war in Iran THEN a draft would be required. So what we need to do is to write ALL congress-critters and tell them to BACK OFF any military action in Iran and get the troops out of Iraq.

:kick:

[Skidmore]

2. In which case he is correct to speak thusly.

It is my understanding that our military resources have been so decimated that we would need to do demand more of Americans to expand this war. Or, we can get out altogether.

I understand what he is doing. He's asking the American public to make a choice.

[INdemo]

4. My point is

There are thousands of voters that are much less informed than we are here at DU.All these voters hear is the "Democrats want to reinstate the draft" They dont understand that Mr.Rangel is saying that if the elite would have to send their sons and daughters to battle they would be less inclined to support a war that wasn't necessary or they would demand all diplomatic efforts would have to exausted before going to war.
These less informed just dont see that.By Congressman Rangel making these statements he has added fuel to the propagnda fire and allowed the media to run with this issue and discredit the Democrats as they always do.All this talk about the draft needs to be silenced before voters make this an issue for 2008.

[havocmom]

6. If most Americans don't understand the message, we should stop yelling 'fire!' ???

No, we should help be the media, yet again... and for the rest of our lives.

WE THE PEOPLE have the ultimate responsibility for oversight of the government. Those of us who get the big picture Rangel is laying on the line need to help get the message out there.

We managed to Be The Media and wake America up enough to turn the tide a bit at the last election. The mechanisms are all in place to for us to keep getting truth out when corporate media won't. All we have to do is DO IT.

Shooting the messanger does not serve the nation nor will it help save lives. Getting the facts out there just might stop another needless war and hundreds of thousands of deaths.

Look at a map. Iran is along the route of a bunch of piplines some very bad men want to see built. We won't stop them by sitting in our recliners watching 'reality' TV about dancing with stars.

If the less informed don't see that yet, we need to work harder, not silence a man with enough balls to speak truth and try to save lives by getting out an unpopular message. We need the message NOW not after 08 when we may well be up to our necks in another war.

[IndyOp]

7. I can see your side and I strongly disagree about "silencing" unpopular

messages.

Aren't you suggesting that Rangel should not put this horrible truth before the American people: If you choose Iran War then you choose a draft. He is speaking the truth and he should keep speaking it. I am sooooooo sick of lies and paternalism of the government elite from ALL parties -- f*'in put the truth on the table and let US decide. Further, we simply must starting treating our fellow citizens as we would like to be treated: With respect for their intelligence and serious-mindedness. They just did pretty damn well in the past election, now let's continue to wake them up by presenting the nasty truths.

The fact that the corporate media scum might want to use this as a single-issue wedge means that we have to fight the corporate media scum - not silence one of our best and brightest.

[havocmom]

5. You summed it up the way I heard Rangel.

He issued a wake up call to Americans to stay involved and do the OVERSIGHT citizens need to do if democracy is gonna function.

Too many people figure we elected a (barely) DEM majority to the Hill and we are all saved by the 'someone' who will ride in and fix things. Democracy is NOT a spectator sport! Someone is not gonna save America, WE ARE.

Rangel knows we have a long way to go before we have the numbers to really fix much at all. We need THE PEOPLE to be involved and we need it NOW. Once BFEE starts the fighting in Iran (and their buds start taking profits on even broader war) it will be very dangerous. We will all be left with cleaning up an even bigger mess and we will all be a lot less safe.

If it takes considering the very real prospect of a draft to break people away from NFL and Dance With the Stars, fine.

WE THE PEOPLE bear the ultimate responsibility for OVERSIGHT. And too many just don't want to trouble their beautiful minds...

Rangel has a method to shake people away from all the distractions. And he is right, if the BFEE goes to war in Iran, we do not have the troop count to do it. Once troops are committed in Iran, oh, well, we have to start sending massive amounts of people and money. BFEE business partners get to continue the obscene alchemy of turning blood into gold and America is stuck sending its future off as fodder for that alchemy.

Wake up DU. It is NOT Rangel who is being the bad guy, it is the people who do the alchemy. Rangel wants to save your kids by showing the blunt truth! He is laying waste to his own political career for the greater good.

[BlooInBloo]

9. Everyone who thinks Rangel is a problem is a fool.

[havocmom]

11. Yep

He is laying his own career down get people to SERIOUSLY consider policy

[Benhurst]

3. Congressman Rangel is right. In a REPUBLIC, wars should be

fought, if necessary, by armies drawn at random from the citizenry as a whole. No more standing armies of paid professionals to be used upon the whim of despotic leaders.

BRING THE TROOPS HOME and start reparations for the death and destruction caused by Bush's illegal and immoral act of aggression.

[DoYouEverWonder]

8. No

this is a very important issue that needs to be discussed.

Rangel wants to force the Republicans to go on record opposing a draft. That way anyone who continues to support keeping troops in Iraq will have one less leg to stand on.

[Zensea]

10. Rangel is my congressman, maybe I will write him

and tell him that this conscientious objector from the Vietnam era agrees with him.

[DU9598]

12. How do we tell defeatist democrats to quit overreacting

and let our new congressional leaders do their jobs???? Just asking.