Pay for war with a "surtax"

"Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said he will not allow a bill to come for debate to provide emergency supplemental funds for the war and suggested Americans should be compelled to pay for it through a "surtax."" (Fox News, hat tip Ron) So what's Obey going to do, let the soldiers walk around with no resupply of bullets etc.?

"The president isn't going to get a supplemental this year. I am not going to report a supplemental out" if it simply is a request for funds and not a change in direction for troops in Iraq," Obey said.

Obey suggested he is flexible as to what the change in policy proposes "so long as it represents real change and not camouflage."

Obey said the annual cost for the war — $145 billion — could be paid by a tax that would range from 2 percent for low and middle income folks to 12-15 percent for higher income households.

"This war is draining the treasury dry. ... There is a huge opportunity cost that is being paid by the same younger generation that is going to be asked to pay the bill because the president is paying for this war on the cuff," Obey said. "If you don't like the cost, then shut down the war." (more, emphasis mine)

As Ron says, "God Bless the Troops, God#*&*# the Liberals."

[snip] There is no more despicable act that any citizen can undertake than to ridicule, deny the value of, or otherwise treat our military personnel and veterans with intentional degradation or inferred hostilities. That is, every one of those who claim to be Americans (and just about everyone else on the damn planet) owe their freedoms and their lives to those who have served or are proudly serving within uniform. War may be hell but paradise comes only through the sacrifice of those who know the price. Would we know the intimate price of Heaven if Christ had simply dropped down for a brief visit and said only “behave”? Could we have defended against communism for six decades had the long litany of Soviet tyrants not been able to think “You know, those guys over there actually used nuclear weapons once”? More importantly, would those bastards preaching to the choir from caves and Third World back alleys think twice about launching attacks against us had we not shown them that we were “ready, willing, and able” to launch wars against them irrespective of whether the entire planet thought such actions were insane? Fortune does indeed favor the prepared but freedom comes to only to those who are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice and time and again our troops have shown this with infinite valor.

Condemning our troops, labeling them as ‘criminals’ or ‘terrorists’, or making a mockery out of oneself by espousing our enemies is treasonous and the only reason that those culprits are not stood up in front of a firing squad and shot – several times – is that those whom we have elected to serve in our stead are by far the most despicable of all. Citizens might claim – perhaps erroneously – to attribute some “First Amendment” actions to their deeds but our Legislature exists to serve the benefit of the nation as a whole and not their special interest benefactors. Our enemies can only defeat us (or at least try to) through complicating the issue and keeping us thinking instead of doing. It is, therefore, quite easy to tell who’s our enemies and who’s our allies. The Liberal Left and even some so-called ‘Moderates’ (if you’re moderate, in my book, you’re not convinced yourself of ‘the cause’) can be called out based solely on what they believe. (read it all here)

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Comments

[Todd Anthony]

But that's your typical Democrat: denigrate the military while supposedly supporting them. What a crock.

With that said, while I obviously champion the Iraqi cause, if there WAS ever a reason to withdraw from Iraq, it would be based solely on fiscal reasons. Our country, unfortunately, is heavily in debt; basically, we're bankrupt.

[Scott]

And what's wrong with legislation to raise money to pay for the war? What is the connection between a war tax and not supporting our military?

The economic stupidity of this Republican administration and Congress is shameful to Reagan Republicans like myself. The only thing in common contemporary Republicans have with traditional Republican values is retaining the party name. The only voters left to vote GOP are fringe social conservative wingnuts lacking any economic education, but overflowing with religious fervor - eerily similar to the religious fanatics our brave military is fighting and killing in Iraq.

[beth]

Debbie, I can't get trackbacks to work on typepad lately. Just thought I'd let you know.

We could pay for the war with Murtha's pork :)

[Phil]

Scott,

You are no Reagan Republican because Reagan was religious and he also would be for this war unlike you, you are a Liberal.

Your very statement "eerily similar to the religious fanatics" Exposes you as a Liberal.

[Ortho]

The quotations of Rep. Obey's remarks missed one important sentence, “If this war is important enough to fight, then it ought to be important enough to pay for.”

With that in mind, raising taxes to fund the war on terror sounds like a great idea. Few Americans are making sacrifices for this war. Few Americans take this war seriously, except, of course, for a handful of blogosphere bloviators.

The war on terror needs more funding. American troops need more funding. The American people should contribute through taxes toward funding the war and the troops. The children of the future should not be saddled with this bill, nor should the vigorous and robust U.S. economy be zapped of its strength because of a dependency on foreign credit and an enormous deficit--both resulting from fiscal irresponsibility in funding the war of terror. If the American people want peace, security, and protection--the said goals of the war of terror--they should take responsibility in paying for it. The freeloaders who preach against raising taxes to fund the war on terror are nothing but selfish, imitation patriots.

[Debbie]

ORTHO: I'm glad you clicked over and read the entire article, not sure how many others did that.

We should properly fund the war and our troops, but I don't think this tax is the way to do it. Do we really think Washington would use more tax money specifically for the war?

They waste so much money already. What they need to do is cut out ALL THE PORK these politicians like taking back to their own states (and their own pockets), and use what money we send them more wisely.