According to Witness to Washington's Legislative Preview of the 107th Congress (2001-2002) (scroll down), there is a bill that will be introduced this year that would put an end to the Selective Service Registration (ie. the "Draft Regisitration"). To quote this article:"A bill will be introduced in the House early in the 107th session that would put an end to the Selective Service. Selective Service forces many young men into a difficult situation: register with selective service/military draft and violate their religious conscience, or break the law by not registering and risk possible loss of eligibility for college loans, government jobs, citizenship, or judiciary punishment. The 2001 budget reflects a request of over 24 million tax dollars to operate this program, which experiences only a 60% success rate in registration. The Department of Defense's Planning Guidance Scenario projects that no future war would require use of the draft."

For many males, over 18, the draft is something we fear. We watch the news at night, wondering and hoping, that the US Government, will not get us into a conflict in a far out land, such as China. Many of us watched the recent events with the US spy plane landing in China, with the fear that this could lead to another war, and then the draft.

Many Republicans (and some Democrats), have supported ending the draft for decades now.

Barry Goldwater, the Republican Presidential candidate in 1964, made the promise as president to work to end the draft. He opposed it on both moral and practicality reasons (civilians make poor soldiers, compared to trained professionals). He proposed increasing spending on recruiting and keeping professionals, and build are military up to the point were world peace would dominate, and we would never have to go to war again. This Barry Goldwater for President commercial (Requires RealVideo G2), discusses why he wants to end the draft.

The draft is costing tax payers at least $25 million dollars 2001,and it's just not very effective. Many people are choosing to not register for the draft—according to the linked document—2 out of 5 people don't register. $25 million dollars would be far better spent on creating peace accords, and building up our own military.

The draft in the late 1960s ran into the issue of people who have religious beliefs against the draft. In 1970, with Welsh v. U.S., the Supreme Court decided that "The language of � 6(j) cannot be construed (as it was in United States v. Seeger, supra, and as it is in the prevailing opinion) to exempt from military service all individuals who in good faith oppose all war, it being clear from both the legislative history and textual analysis of that provision that Congress used the words "by reason of religious training and belief" to limit religion to its theistic sense, and to confine it to formal, organized worship or shared beliefs by a recognizable and cohesive group."

I personally believe that the draft in ineffective, a waste of time (the paperwork took me 15 minutes of my time I could have been doing else war), a waste of tax payer dollars, and outdated. The draft gives the US government the ability to easily get us in conflicts above their necks. In the end, I registered for the draft, but if the system ever became active, and I would be called on, I would not go.

HR 1812, introduced by Representative Ron Paul, "...suspend[s] the registration requirement and the activities of civilian local boards, civilian appeal boards, and similar local agencies of the Selective Service System, except during national emergencies..."

I think that's a good start, putting the draft into a deep sleep, but it simply doesn't go far enough—to end it all together.

The National Inter-religious Service Board for Conscientious Objectors, has several resources of use for those of us who are against the draft. Their Anti-Draft Talking Points, gives a list of reasons why the draft should be done away with.

Please write you senators, and tell them, you do not want the selective service system anymore—and you want it to end—now. This sample letter, should help you out.