Conscripting Liberalism

Welcome to the political wonderland of the early naughts, where "Republicans...consider spending cuts the new "third rail" of politics" and liberal Democrats are at the forefront of calls to renew military conscription.

Last year, Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and John Conyers (D-Mich.), who only a few years ago joined a push to abolish the Selective Service System, sponsored a bill that would give all young Americans the chance to serve their country—whether they want to or not—joined by Democratic colleagues Neil Abercrombie (Hawaii), Corrine Brown (Fla.), William Clay (Mo.), Elijah Cummings (Md.), Alcee Hastings (Fla.), John Lewis (Ga.), Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas), Jim McDermott (Wash.), James Moran (Va.), Pete Stark (Calif.), Nydia Velazquez (N.Y.) and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.).

At the time, the move was seen largely as a symbolic gesture connected with opposition to the war in Iraq. The underlying logic of the proposal was expressed by liberal columnist Anna Quindlen, who asked of (presumably upper-class) hawks: "Would most of them support staying in Iraq if their sons and daughters were obliged to go? Hell no."

Reason