And I oppose tax hikes.

However, if the nation wanted more troops, it would be far better to raise taxes, and use the money to increase troop salaries.

3 million troops X $40,000 payraise = 120 billion.

As high taxes reduce the value of civilian jobs, young workers will flee the labor market for the coveted high-paying military jobs. McDonald's and walmart might go out of business, but the military would have no shortage of young men braving boot camp for the sweet sweet paycheck than they don't have aquire college debt to attain.

It's simple supply and demand, with an added risk premium. Very few people will give up a nice 60k job to get army pay of 25k. Plenty will give up 55k after taxes to get 65k in the army. Or whatever.

It would be far more ethical to raise troop pay, than to force people to join up and take whatever salary some jackass in congress arbitarily sets it to. (and you can bet a soldier won't be paid as well as a senator!)

I'd rather reduce spending in other non-military areas. At least the military is the job of the government.

eliminating the loop holes political children and the children of the rich slip through during the draft you might find that there would be far less need for an increase in military due to the fact that the fat cats would not be so ready to start a war if their children were at risk along with everyone Else's. Then you also seem to be under the impression that the military don't pay taxes, remember they pay a part of their own wages so the tax increase would hit them also.

TruettCollins:

... Then you also seem to be under the impression that the military don't pay taxes, remember they pay a part of their own wages so the tax increase would hit them also...

Oddly when you serve in a war zone like Iraq you are exemp from federal tax. Many have reenlisted in war zones to get a tax-free bonus. I never got a bonus anywhere in 10 years of active duty but I thought the info would be at least amusing for others considering the issue. Thoughtful concept of raising soldiers pay to reverse the current bias. Too late for me now but I like the idea.

Where are they? All I see is the same old one about oil.

Then what about Senators that either A) don't have any children, B) all their children are either too young or too old anyway, or C) are female

Draft them........male or female.....

I got my tax exemptions in two different arenas....but I will guarantee it did not make up for the time missed in my children’s growing up nor the crippling injuries received that I will deal with for the rest of my life.

Why not just get serious about imperialism and conquer a country and enslave its males to fight our wars for us? Or, like the Romans, hire barbarians to fight for us? A poor country could use the bucks and it would save us a lot of American lives, which are obviously a lot more precious than the lives of foreigners. We've lost about 3700 in Iraq, which has reportedly had 100,000 citizens killed. We can do better. Bring our losses to zero while upping than ante on foreigner deaths. Poor Americans now bear the brunt of wars. Why not poor foreigners instead? Then, all it will cost us is money. We got plenty of that. Think of all the starving masses. Wouldn't they prefer to die well paid and well fed?

"Then you also seem to be under the impression that the military don't pay taxes, remember they pay a part of their own wages so the tax increase would hit them also."

My view is that taxation of federal employees is largely a game of smoke and mirrors. Ooh, we gave you a $10k raise, but after taxes, your raise is effectively only $6k.

It's a petty game, but if it's the way the government wants to play it, I can keep up on the math. A tax hike or inflation will amount to what is essentially a pay cut for the troops, this too can happen.

Doesn't change the fact that if you give troops a substantial, real raise, you'll have more people signing up. How big that raise must be to achieve what recruiting target is set is a matter of several factors, sure to baffle better minds than I.

As for the military and politicians, I disagree with Michael Moore's infantile tactics. Adults are adults, whether there parents are congressman or not. It's ridiculous to think congress can or should order their grown adult children to join the military. The military should not be politicized in such a matter.

That said, I don't think putting more rich kids into uniform would magically make congress or the president smarter.

In fact, the only thing that would make politicians smarter in aggregate would be if a large pool of money was directed to politicians based on merit, forcing politicians to do such things as answer "why was Hitler able to last as long as he did" or "describe Sun Tzu's mandate of heaven".

It would be a multimillion dollar up-front committment, however, done right, would probably be self funding, and start a movement.

Truett,
It never made sense to me to honor mom on Mother's Day, when she was an enormous part of life everyday. But Hallmark and the restaurants enjoy it.....more than my mom.

It never made sense to me to honor vets the same way.
And, in their case, neither hallmark nor the restaurants make a hullaballoo about it.

I just wanted to say "Thanks" for what you did.
I am grateful.

My brother has been messed up for 37 years and can be found sitting outside a Vets Hospital often. Hard to get help from those folks. Maybe I'll tell his story one day here.

The best website I have located in coming to grips with injury is www.tbihome.org .These folks are from a wide array of life and suffered traumatic brain injury. It is not a vet exclusive site by any means. But as the body count and injured account outta Iraq and Afghanistan accrue, the discussion has increased tempo in that direction.....
for the vets have no place to go.

Again, Thank You and best of luck to you and your family.
Blessings to you this day.
WheresTheBeef

there will never be "fair draft" until we treat females to the same benefit..death by order..you know, how we force males only to register under penalty of federal law but not female, how we draft only males to be sent against their will to some hell hole to die..if we did this to only females, do you think then you would care?

Madai:

...That said, I don't think putting more rich kids into uniform would magically make congress or the president smarter.

In fact, the only thing that would make politicians smarter in aggregate would be if a large pool of money was directed to politicians based on merit, forcing politicians to do such things as answer "why was Hitler able to last as long as he did" or "describe Sun Tzu's mandate of heaven"...

I'm clueless about Hitler but Sun Tzu called it T 'ien ming (mandate of heaven), Iran calls it Farr (charisma) and the USA calls it Money (stinking cabbage).

I'd rathern not get involved in senseless wars.

Which VA hosp is your brother at?

I spend time working with disabled vets when I can. There are a large population of vets out there who don't have the physical injuries that can be seen. Their injuries can be just as much of a disability as the physical ones and any vet who saw action will be in some degree or another affected by what they saw and were forced to do to survive. We need to remember this and this nation needs to CARE FOR ALL OF THEM.