When putatively "liberal" publications start publishing arguments in favor of restoring a military draft, you know that mischief is going mainstream.

Basically sensible, if somewhat unworldly, colleagues occasionally chide me on the subject of a return to the draft:  "It would be the end of the Republicans," they say, "The country would never tolerate it."  In fact, of course, we had a military draft for decades, and it enjoyed bipartisan (or what passes in America for bipartisan) support, as the new draft likely will too.  The same country that, in best Ionescoesque fashion, was sold an immoral and criminal war just two years ago can surely be sold a draft, if it is packaged and timed properly.

It would be pleasant, indeed, to be wrong in this assessment.  The fact that otherwise intelligent and educated people think it can’t happen of course raises the odds that it will.