Joe Scarborough has clearly been hanging around the liberals at MSNBC too long.
On Tuesday’s Morning Joe, the host actually called for the draft to be implemented and those not wanting to enter the military to be required at age eighteen to perform community service for two years (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):
“I think we need to reimplement the draft or community service,” Scarborough declared. “From 18 to 20, you're either going to the draft or you're going, you're going into teaching, you're going into the inner-cities, you're going to the truly disadvantaged, and you're not just sitting in front of a computer watching SportsCenter and eating McDonald’s.”
Not surprisingly, his liberal co-host Mika Brzezinski, the Washington Post’s Eugene Robinson, MSNBC’s Al Sharpton, and Morning Joe regular Mike Barnicle thought it was a great idea.
“Something that unifies us, as well,” Scarborough added.
“Well, it levels the playing field, by the way,” Brzezinski said.
“We’ve got to have equal resources,” Sharpton added with regard to what's available in schools.
“Not only that, but given, you know, the increasing economic disparity that’s apparent in this country, we're developing larger bubbles,” observed Barnicle.
“Right," Scarborough agreed. "Get people out of their bubbles. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, it’s not just happening in America, it's happening across the western world. I just think national service.”
As my left of center wife said when she heard this segment, WOW!
Let's be clear: when you are on the same side as Mike Barnicle, Mika Brzezinski, Eugene Robinson, and Eugene Robinson - four of the most liberal commentators in the nation today! - you are not taking a conservative position.
You are not even taking a moderate position.
To advocate national service for all 18 to 20-year-olds in order to level the playing field is about as far-left a position as anyone can take.
As for high school graduates sitting around on their computers watching SportsCenter and eating McDonald's, that's not what my kids did.
One was a D-I track star who got a fabulous job six weeks after graduation that he parlayed into a highly-coveted medical device sales position in just eighteen months. The other is currently a sophomore in college where she's excelling at two jobs and is up for president of the Panhellenic Council.
If media members are having problems raising their own children, of if they've got friends and acquaintances that are, the goal should be to bring those folks up NOT drag the successful ones down.
Exactly how does leveling the playing field by bringing top achievers down comport with any conservative philosophy or value you've ever heard of?
What happened to "A rising tide lifts all boats?"
Once again, WOW!
