Posted on 10/02/2007 8:15:46 AM PDT by xzins
Democrats Propose Tax Surcharge for War By ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrats on Tuesday proposed an income tax surcharge to finance the approximately $150 billion annual cost of operations in Iraq, saying it is unfair to pass the cost of the war onto future generations.
The plan, unveiled by Reps. David Obey, D-Wis., John Murtha, D-Pa., and Jim McGovern, D-Mass., would require low- and middle-income taxpayers to add 2 percent to their tax bill. Wealthier people would pay an additional 12 to 15 percent, Obey said.
The plan's sponsors acknowledged it's unlikely to pass, but Democrats have been seeking in recent weeks to compare the approximately $190 billion cost of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars in 2008 with the $23 billion increase that Democrats want in domestic programs. President Bush has threatened to veto most of those domestic spending bills.
"The war will cost future generations billions of dollars in taxes that we're shoving off on them and it is devouring money that could be used to expand their educational opportunities, expand their job training possibilities, attack our long-term energy problems and build stronger communities," Obey said.
Obey also announced that Democrats will not pass a supplemental spending bill for the Iraq war until next year, when Democrats hope public pressure could force Bush to change the course of the war.
Democrats hope their chances of winning a battle with Bush on the war will be better next year as the election season heats up.
"The showdown is going to be in January or February," McGovern said.
The lawmakers said the tax surcharge was similar to policies put in place to pay for the Vietnam War and World War II.
"By putting together this bill we hope people will stop ignoring what this war is costing American taxpayers and call the president's bluff on fiscal responsibility," Obey said.
This economy is still growing and the budget deficit is getting SMALLER.
Why in the world would we need a tax increase?
So that politicians in Washington can have TOO MUCH money???
Murtha is a traitor AND an idiot.
Murtha ping
Punish the populace for daring to support the President.
These traitors failed in every trick under the sun to force us to surrender in this war and now they are trying another stupid idea. The bad thing is that they are traitors, the good thing is that they are utterly stupid and impotent.
Im all for a tax. Of THEIR wages!
Nah don’t pay for the war today. Give the bill to the troops when they come home. If they won it quicker, the bill would not be this high. Right?
No DemocRat ever saw a dollar he didn’t want to steal.
These people are obsessed with money.
And Murtha was this far from getting caught taking a bribe from the Saudis...he wanted to play it safe first.
And he has the gall to lecture us about money!!
Sounds fair to me.
Maybe Murtha and my congressman Obey ought to quite wasting our tax money on their precious “earmarks” and pork spending. They may find they have lots of money left over to fund the fight for freedom and the fight against terrorism.
How about cutting the graft and pork out of Washington? Now that would be a novel idea wouldn’t it? We don’t need more taxes to pay these guys for doing nothing. Cut their pay, give them the same benefits as the American people get. No full retirements until they have worked for 20 years......like the rest of us.
I don’t know about him but if money was truly needed for our military, after we cut out all the non-essentials, I would have no problem giving more.
“the budget deficit is getting smaller”
??? Our National Debt is predicted to reach 9 trillion dollars this year. This doesn’t include the money budgeted for the war. Yet, we still add substantially to our deficit each year. This is financially irresponsible, and embarassing. http://www.federalbudget.com/
I can’t stand Murtha, and wouldn’t agree with any thing he says. Taxes don’t need to be increased, but spending needs to decrease radically.
We are passing the costs of this war to future generations, and that isn’t fair. You paint a rosy picture, but under the surface is a lot of debt, financial waste and irresponsibility. Our republican president, and congress have really let us down.
If the MSM was doing its job they'd latch onto this Democrat statement and scream to the world:
DEMOCRATS WANT TO RAISE TAXES ON THE POOREST AMERICANS
How many times have we heard this? The last showdown was supposed to be last month. McGovern, Obey, and Murtha are just grandstanding for the moonbat base.
Since the Defense Budget is only 3.8% of the Gross National Product (GNP) today, (it was 38.9% during WW II), and Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security take up almost the entire budget, how about they propose a tax increase to pay for that?
This scheduling is an implicit acceptance by the Democrats that Petraeus killed them. It is a desperate hope on their part that February’s report will show a reversal of the drive towards victory in Iraq that is unfolding now.
The Dems are in desperate trouble. The odds have reversed and they have been outmaneuvered by Bush. Victory is unfolding and the public sees it. They are going to be in a position of funding their own defeat.
Make no mistake at all . . . if Iraq continues to evolve as favorably as the last 6 months the GOP will chant non stop at the convention:
THE PEOPLE REMEMBER WHO PUSHED SURRENDER! THE PEOPLE REMEMBER WHO PUSHED SURRENDER! THE PEOPLE REMEMBER WHO PUSHED SURRENDER!
Do not think Hillary doesn’t see it coming, too.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
The devil’s in the details. Just what does Murtha consider “low and middle taxpayers?” The bottom 45-50% don’t pay taxes. So, 5% of nothing is ZERO. This leaves the 15% tax increase for “wealthier” taxpayers, which from what I’ve seen of previous dem tax increase proposals, usually applies to any family making over $50K.
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