Money Troubles - • Clift: Who Pays for the War in Iraq?

[dArKeR]

With the federal budget deficit approaching $500 billion, lawmakers are furious about the way the administration has played them for fools when it comes to paying for Iraq

The U.S. administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, delivered the bad news this week. The war in Iraq will cost tens of billions of dollars, which means we’re approaching a collision between President Bush’s fiscal policy and national-security needs.

SO HOW DID Bush respond? He fired off a letter to Congress to cut the pay raise promised to federal workers. He said the country is in a state of national emergency and has been since 9/11. The pay cut saves mere pennies compared to the billions Bush needs, but bureaucrats are easy scapegoats. The public doesn’t pay much attention when a government worker gets screwed.
        Here’s a suggestion: what if Bush had suspended the cut on the estate tax, calling on both workers and the wealthy to kick in their share? That would be a bit more credible. With the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reporting this week that the federal budget deficit is approaching a record $500 billion, lawmakers are furious about the way the administration has played them for fools when it comes to paying for Iraq. “The Iraqis ask, ‘Why can’t you turn on the lights?’ We have a George C. Marshall plan with a Grover Norquist budget,” says a Senate Republican.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/959234.asp?0cl=c1

Why doesn't the Bush Family sell off some of it's assets to help pay? Since they're such patriotic Christians!

http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/

[Ilsa]

1. "...lawmakers are furious ..."

Let them fume. Those wimpy slime doggies (mostly) were lap dogs to this cabal, never asking the tough questions.

"Why doesn't the Bush Family sell off some of it's assets to help pay? Since they're such patriotic Christians!"
Answer: They'd rather eat their young than give up their gold. I'm surprised they don't sell their extra organs for the cash it could raise them.

[Skittles]

2. OH SO NOW THEY ARE OUTRAGED?

BUSH INC. STOLE THE F***ING ELECTION. America has been in crisis since December 2000. The country is bankrupt and soldiers are getting killed EVERY DAY and NOW THEY'RE PISSED??? They can F*** THEMSELVES.

[lanlady]

3. this sort of thing really gets my goat

Our law-makers are angry NOW, after billions have been squandered and thousands killed in Dubya's most excellent adventure??? Shameless and disgusting doesn't begin to describe how I feel about this bunch. Any informed citizen with an Internet connection could have predicted this months ago.

[KoKo]

4. Clift sounds like a repug in this article! What happened? This sentence.

"Democrats can’t win national elections unless
they’re able to address their social and cultural weaknesses."

What the hell are our social and cultural weaknesses........has she lost it? She interviews Repugs who say Bush will win then she agrees......then she says that Wesley Clark will bring "military values"to the campaign.

What pray tell are "military values." If it's what Bush/Rummy/Cheney have been doing then I don't want it!
Is she talking about a "take over" now? They gave her Kool Aid..................:-(

[HPLeft]

5. Iraq Reconstruction Tax.

Wolfy was doing the talk shows about 8 months ago, telling everyone that Iraq was a "rich" country, and the U.S. would not have to bankroll its reconstruction. Now, the the latest Bush Administration lie has resulted in the U.S. taxpayer not only bankrolling the occupation, but the reconstruction as well. Excuse me, but I'd rather bankroll the NEA, Planned Parenthood, not to mention increased aid to States forced to lay off workers and raise local taxes (and, in the process, choking off the economic recovery) than Dubya's Dubious Adventure in Iraq.

I propose that every Democratic candidate begin to describe the restoration of the Inheritance tax, and a rolling back of the upper income tax rates to Clinton-era levels, as the Iraq Reconstruction Tax.