October 3rd, 2007
08:45 AM ET
15 years ago
Democrats propose war surtax
Would you pay additional taxes to fund the Iraq war? Watch Dana Bash's report.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - "If you don't like the cost, then shut down the war," is how Rep. David Obey, D-Wisconsin, justified his proposal to impose a surtax in order to fund U.S. military operations in Iraq. CNN's Dana Bash has the story from Capitol Hill.
Seems to me that a half trillion dollars has already been wasted in that dump. Hmm, does this mean that Congress feels we have not paid our share yet?
Yeah, let's make poor people poorer. It's been done before. So has the draft. Let's bring that back too. That was really popular. It sounds to me like a few Democrats in Congress are setting the stage for a Lyndon Johnson-sized failure when Shrillary wins the election.
This is an oversight proposal, not a fiscal proposal, so don't get your panties in the bunch about mean Democrats who raise your taxes. The intent isn't to pass the tax–it's to demonstrate the financial impact of the war in terms that will resonate with people who can't see past their own wallets.
Budgeting practices that exclude war costs from the regular tab have left the taxpayer cost of this war a bit murky. For many people, the only thing that resonates is the figure that will be docked from their personal income, and the surest way to get them to oppose something is to show them how much they will have to pay for it. Seeing that number on paper is going to come as quite a shock to a lot of people who were quite happy to spend astronomical sums on the war when it was pretend money.
Sybil,
FYI: I voted for Clinton, Gore AND Kerry, because some of us in Texas opposed George Bush before you've even heard of him. I raised three good kids without any help from Democrats or Republicans, put them through school and work hard all my life. But I'm no left wing nut who thinks that all Republicans are evil and I will not vote for another Clinton either. Spare me your silly comments. Good Day.
MARIA FROM HOUSTON.. You really should put on your thinking cap. Of course you have heard of Bush before we did. He owns that sprawling ranch in Crawford with all those oil wells. Do you work on his ranch?