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My Communist Confederacy stuff treads along well (a couple of short stories done/near done and about to be sent to a few friends here on site to see what they think) but there is a kink in the world I want your help making more plausible. Specifically, I want the USA to have a mantatory conscription program ala Israel or Prussia, where people serve 2-3 years, upon which you can volunteer to serve as a soldier or be honorably released from conscription, albiet remain on draft lists until you turn 40, regardless of race, status or class.

My questions are:

1) Is such a system plausible in the USA? Even in OTL, mandatory military service has never come to fruition, despite it being adopted by most of the western world. I imagine it would be much more viable with the CSA and British Canada on the borders, but still, want to be sure.

2) How might such a system opperate? What needs or concerns woulod need to be addressed in the post-war USA?

3) What might the effects be, socially, politically, ecnomically? One of the reasons I wanted to push it in the story is that it might hurther bridge the gap between the races or classes in the USA - even a Rockefeller or a Roosevelt has to serve.

4) Could such a system be tied to citizenship or voter's rights? Nothing Starship troopers-like, but if you serve your 2-3 years from age 18-21, you'd be voting age upon your release - maybe tie successful completion of service to the right to vote, or is that too much?
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