Students within the Penn State community have opposing views on the true intent of the seemingly partisan military draft legislation.

Although a Republican did not introduce the bill, many Democrats are accusing the GOP of using the legislation as a political ploy.

"I think the real purpose on the part of those sponsoring the conscription bill was to show how an unequal share of the burden of securing Iraq is falling on minority and lower-income individuals," College Democrats Vice President Alex Smith said.

Penn State College Republicans Chairman Andy Banducci said Democrats intentionally proposed this bill to elicit student reaction.

"This is a piece of legislation proposed by a couple of radical Democrats," he said. "I think it is ridiculous that people are trying to scare college students and young people that there is going to be a draft."

Banducci said he was relieved that the defeat was overwhelmingly bipartisan. "It was a bad piece of legislation and an awful idea," he said. "I'm glad that many Democrats joined with the Republicans in seeing that there is no reason to have a draft right now."

While the bill was defeated, Smith said the legislation did work to raise awareness about other groups that are directly affected without the draft reinstatement. "The raising of this issue also highlights another problem that has not been discussed enough: the backdoor draft affecting those in the [military] reserves and the National Guard," he said.

Karen Deutsch, coordinator of the State College chapter of Mothers Opposing Bush, said the national organization did not take a stance on the bill.

Banducci is confident voters will not attach the bill to the president.

"The president came out several times and said that there isn't any need for a draft," he said. "This is political posturing by a couple of radical Democrats who disagree with the president's policy of spreading freedom in Iraq."

Collegian staff writer Matt Wachter
contributed to this report.