Anti-Conscription Amendment [Rejected]

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

A 5-4 result will not pass the underlying measure.


Therefore, I will ask again if their is room for a compromise that could generate a passable result or not?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

everyone in congress [...] essential personnel

lol good one

Can anyone else appropriate money?

I don't think Congress itself can properly appropriate money....

That is an issue of competence which I would most certainly agree with you on. However, in terms of constitutionally authorized powers, only congress can appropriate money.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

But do you understand my point, Yankee? Why is it that we can sit here and legislate and say "you all have to serve in the military cuz we say so, but we don't have to." Why is that fair? It isn't. If this bill passes and we are invaded, I will resign from whatever office I hold and will be the first to sign up for military service.

Because you have to have political leadership. If we had a house of lords, I would agree with your point. But with an elected congress, the people can choose and change who is in charge and if someone isn't performing their duties as Senator. They can be voted out and then be subjected to the draft. I view representatives as servants of the people and subject to their whims and desires at election time. They aren't static lifetime members, immune from any accountability.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

But do you understand my point, Yankee? Why is it that we can sit here and legislate and say "you all have to serve in the military cuz we say so, but we don't have to." Why is that fair? It isn't. If this bill passes and we are invaded, I will resign from whatever office I hold and will be the first to sign up for military service.

Because you have to have political leadership. If we had a house of lords, I would agree with your point. But with an elected congress, the people can choose and change who is in charge and if someone isn't performing their duties as Senator. They can be voted out and then be subjected to the draft. I view representatives as servants of the people and subject to their whims and desires at election time. They are static lifetime members, immune from any accountability.

So you view political positions as effectively a form of national service in themselves regardless of the state of the draft?

I don't consider them the equivalent of serving in combat, but essential governemnt positions are just as important as say the behind the lines logistical support and staffing in the military.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

But do you understand my point, Yankee? Why is it that we can sit here and legislate and say "you all have to serve in the military cuz we say so, but we don't have to." Why is that fair? It isn't. If this bill passes and we are invaded, I will resign from whatever office I hold and will be the first to sign up for military service.

Because you have to have political leadership. If we had a house of lords, I would agree with your point. But with an elected congress, the people can choose and change who is in charge and if someone isn't performing their duties as Senator. They can be voted out and then be subjected to the draft. I view representatives as servants of the people and subject to their whims and desires at election time. They are static lifetime members, immune from any accountability.

So you view political positions as effectively a form of national service in themselves regardless of the state of the draft?

I don't consider them the equivalent of serving in combat, but essential governemnt positions are just as important as say the behind the lines logistical support and staffing in the military.

Clearly. National service, broadly defined.

Am I suppose to disagree with that designation or something?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I had hoped for a negotiation or deal making to hammer out a framework that could get the votes to pass. The current text has problems and flaws that I would be willing to deal with for the purposes getting a deal, but outside of that it becomes a refrendum on the current text.

Nay.