I've heard it asserted that a draft would turn the middle and upper classes against the war "if it was their sons and daughters sent off to die", and I think that Rangel's bill is supposed to threaten us with the draft. I noticed that this year's version is even more extreme than last year's: The age range is up to 42, which is absurd if you're looking for able-bodied cannon fodder that doesn't know enough to question orders. The idea clearly is to outrage even more people this time around...and of course it's working. It's a perennial.

I find it a little offensive too. Personally I think there are plenty of legitimate reasons to be very unhappy with Bush's war without having to tart it up with stupid games like this, and they just give ammo to Conservative claims of extremism.