[ryoung99]

Originally Posted by mikester

The current administration essentially told the public that, aside from the small percentage of Americans actually fighting, the rest of us should just go about business as usual. Bush actually told us to "go shopping". That's a pretty extraordinary thing to say, especially when people, at that time, were so moved by the terrible attacks on 9/11 that they were mobilized and unified, to do something if asked. During prior major wars our leaders asked the public to sacrifice as part of the war effort, in the form of rationing of strategic resources, buying war bonds, and so on.

The current administration did what the should have done at that time.... people were scared and the markets acted irrational (although not as bad as right now).

What the admin said was we (the government) will handle this (which they have) and the popluation should do their best to go about their lives with confidence. Don't change your way's be that same person you were yesterday do the same things, do not let this event change your outcome.

It was the right message.

For some reason I recall the current admin getting very high marks for their actions at the time both domestically and internationally. That changed with the Iraq war, but what you are quoting occured prior to the invason of Iraq.

As for the question, I do not think we are at risk of a draft.

Also, not only the poor serve in the military. Many middle class kids enlist as well. I do not know the percentages, but in some cases the military is a way for someone to pull themselves up. Everyone seems to think that being in the military is a punishment, it is not. It is an honor and priviledge.