lily
10-02-2007, 10:53 PM
Works for me......since the oil sure isn't paying for it, like we were told and we're spending more and more......... (http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/02/democrats.war.tax/index.html)
Top Democrats propose war surtax
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Top House Democrats Tuesday proposed a "war surtax" to
pay for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, a plan quickly condemned by
Republicans and opposed by the House leadership.
Rep. Dave Obey Tuesday said the surtax is a way for "this generation" to pay
for the Iraq war.
The surtax would be "a percentage of your tax bill," said House
Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey, D-Wisconsin. "And if you don't
like the cost, then shut down the war."
The measure -- sponsored by Obey, Rep. Jack Murtha, D-Pennsylvania, and Jim
McGovern, D-Massachusetts -- would require low- and middle-income taxpayers
to add 2 percent to their tax bill, while higher-income taxpayers would add
12 to 15 percent, Obey said.
The House Democratic leadership made it clear Wednesday that they had not
signed off on the measure.
In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, House speaker Nancy Pelosi
blasted President Bush for not asking Americans to sacrifice and "adding
hundreds of billions of dollars in debt for future generations to repay."
But Pelosi said she will not back the measure.
"Some have suggested that shared sacrifice should take the form of a draft;
others have suggested a surtax. Those who oppose a tax and the draft also
should oppose the president's war," Pelosi said. "Just as I have opposed the
war from the outset, I am opposed to a draft and I am opposed to a war
surtax."
A spokesman for the House Ways and Means committee, which handles all tax
measures, told CNN "there's no expectation that this proposal will come
before the committee."
The proposal comes as the Bush administration requested an additional $190
billion for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Obey estimated the surtax would annually generate between $140 and $150
billion dollars which is equivalent to the annual cost of the war in Iraq.
Watch Obey say he will not give the White House a blank check" ยป
"This is the first time in American history that when a president has taken
a country to war and said 'by the way folks, we're going to have to
sacrifice and they way to sacrifice is by cutting your taxes.'" Obey said.
"It makes no sense."
Speaking at a Capitol Hill press conference, McGovern said families of
troops serving in Iraq would be exempt from the surtax, and that the tax was
similar to ones imposed during War War II and the Vietnam War.
The Republican leadership was quick to condemn the proposal.
"Raiding every taxpayer's wallet for the purposes of playing politics with
our national security amounts to one of the most irresponsible proposals
I've seen in a long, long time," House Minority Leader John Boehner said in
a statement. "It's time for Democrats to support our troops and the strategy
that has led them to make undeniable progress in Iraq."
A Democratic leadership aide dismissed criticism from the GOP, saying,
"Republicans are talking about something [surtax proposal] that's never
going to see the light of day, but they're doing it at their own peril
because the more they talk about the costs of war, the more Americans will
listen."
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 Democrat in the House, said he agreed
"this generation ought to help pay for" the war but that there was no
agreement on backing the bill.
"One of the stories I just read said 'the Democrats propose,'" Hoyer said.
"This is a proposal by Mr. Obey. Mr. Murtha and Mr. McGovern. This is not a
party proposal."
Top Democrats propose war surtax
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Top House Democrats Tuesday proposed a "war surtax" to
pay for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, a plan quickly condemned by
Republicans and opposed by the House leadership.
Rep. Dave Obey Tuesday said the surtax is a way for "this generation" to pay
for the Iraq war.
The surtax would be "a percentage of your tax bill," said House
Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey, D-Wisconsin. "And if you don't
like the cost, then shut down the war."
The measure -- sponsored by Obey, Rep. Jack Murtha, D-Pennsylvania, and Jim
McGovern, D-Massachusetts -- would require low- and middle-income taxpayers
to add 2 percent to their tax bill, while higher-income taxpayers would add
12 to 15 percent, Obey said.
The House Democratic leadership made it clear Wednesday that they had not
signed off on the measure.
In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, House speaker Nancy Pelosi
blasted President Bush for not asking Americans to sacrifice and "adding
hundreds of billions of dollars in debt for future generations to repay."
But Pelosi said she will not back the measure.
"Some have suggested that shared sacrifice should take the form of a draft;
others have suggested a surtax. Those who oppose a tax and the draft also
should oppose the president's war," Pelosi said. "Just as I have opposed the
war from the outset, I am opposed to a draft and I am opposed to a war
surtax."
A spokesman for the House Ways and Means committee, which handles all tax
measures, told CNN "there's no expectation that this proposal will come
before the committee."
The proposal comes as the Bush administration requested an additional $190
billion for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Obey estimated the surtax would annually generate between $140 and $150
billion dollars which is equivalent to the annual cost of the war in Iraq.
Watch Obey say he will not give the White House a blank check" ยป
"This is the first time in American history that when a president has taken
a country to war and said 'by the way folks, we're going to have to
sacrifice and they way to sacrifice is by cutting your taxes.'" Obey said.
"It makes no sense."
Speaking at a Capitol Hill press conference, McGovern said families of
troops serving in Iraq would be exempt from the surtax, and that the tax was
similar to ones imposed during War War II and the Vietnam War.
The Republican leadership was quick to condemn the proposal.
"Raiding every taxpayer's wallet for the purposes of playing politics with
our national security amounts to one of the most irresponsible proposals
I've seen in a long, long time," House Minority Leader John Boehner said in
a statement. "It's time for Democrats to support our troops and the strategy
that has led them to make undeniable progress in Iraq."
A Democratic leadership aide dismissed criticism from the GOP, saying,
"Republicans are talking about something [surtax proposal] that's never
going to see the light of day, but they're doing it at their own peril
because the more they talk about the costs of war, the more Americans will
listen."
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 Democrat in the House, said he agreed
"this generation ought to help pay for" the war but that there was no
agreement on backing the bill.
"One of the stories I just read said 'the Democrats propose,'" Hoyer said.
"This is a proposal by Mr. Obey. Mr. Murtha and Mr. McGovern. This is not a
party proposal."