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Paul Glastris at Political Animal floats a plan for National Service.
Dammit, if there’s one issue* that we liberals should be in 100% agreement with the libertarians on, it’s conscription. Unlike taxation, conscription (whether or not it offers non-military service as an option) really is tantamount to slavery.
If we really have the need to fight another damn war, the fair thing to do is to raise military salaries until we have enough volunteers, and raise taxes and/or cut other government services to pay the increased salaries. One generation should not be expected to bear the entire burden.
*Actually, I think there are three issues that we liberals, based on liberal principles, should side with the libertarians on: the other two are vice and immigration. I myself also take the libertarian position on trade, but I don't think that follows from liberal principles.
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1 comment:
Those that advocate “national service” need to be informed that there is a little thing called the 13th Amendment:
“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”