The Nation: Soak the rich to pay for war..... That'll bring the troops home quick!

[liberalitch]

An excellent idea!!!!!


http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070122/howl

[Parisle]

1. Bravo,...

--- Show them that war doesn't pay.

[liberalitch]

2. I figure that is the only way to bring the war home to THEM!

[kentuck]

3. Bravo!

Right now, they're putting it all on the credit card... Even this money Bush wants for the "surge"..
I thought Pay-Go was passed by the House. It is not law yet??

[porphyrian]

4. It's a great idea. - n/t

[Nederland]

5. The rich already pay for it

I'm pretty sure the nation's top 10% of wage earners pay 65% of the nation's income tax, which is where the funds for the war come from.

[physioex]

7. Correction....

The funds for the war are not coming from the 10% they are coming from our children's future.

[Nederland]

8. Only if your kids are rich

It is true that much of the money for the war is being borrowed. However, unless taxes on the rich are significantly reduced, that money will be paid back by the rich as well. So long as rich people continue to pay the vast majority of the taxes, the rich will continue to pay for pretty much everything regardless of whether that money was borrowed or not.

[denverbill]

12. And since taxes have been cut on the rich, the rest of us are paying off the difference.

Cutting taxes on the rich is a stealth tax increase on the rest of us, when there is a huge national debt.

[denverbill]

11. Considering they make more than 65% of the national income, they should.

Unfortunately, since we are running $500 billion/year deficits, if war spending is included, NOBODY is paying for the Iraq war. The only way the war is being paid for is if taxes were increased by the amount of war spending. Putting the tab on the National Mastercard isn't paying for it.

[Nederland]

13. No doubt

I agree that a progressive tax structure is fair--people who earn more should pay more. My point is merely that since they are already paying for the war, the notion that you can stop the war by "making them pay for it" is incorrect. As I mentioned in the post above, the fact that the war is being paid for with borrowed money doesn't alter the equation at all. In the end, whether its now or later, the rich will pay for this war.

[Dora]

6. Loved it. "Victory over Terror Tax"

snipped:

The Democrats can tax our way out of the war. This would be a Victory Over Terror tax to be levied on incomes of $5 million a year or more. It should be a surcharge of 20 percent over and above what people in that rarified income bracket are already paying. It should be levied on all income, regardless of what form it takes, so it would include stock options, jet plane rides, company-paid-for health and life insurance, retirement programs, golden parachutes, the use of apartments in Paris, cars and drivers.

The people in this stratospheric income category have enjoyed the big tax cuts that have gone into effect while the nation has been attacked and been at war. Individuals making $1.25 million a year have gotten tax cuts of almost 20 percent, but many of these would be spared paying the Victory Over Terror tax, which only cuts in at the $5 million level.

Needless to say, those paying this tax do not represent the Democrats' voter base. As these things go, this is politically pain-free. The tax is aimed at war profiteers, overpaid CEOs and grossly fat cats in general, most of whom carry a lot of weight at the White House. If there is any group of people in the world whom George Bush listens to, it is this bunch of billionaires. Call this a backdoor use of the power of the purse. And since the surcharge expires when the war on terror is won or declared over, those taxed will have a powerful incentive to tell the President it is time to get a move on.

[Roxy66]

9. You know thats true!

[Deja Q]

10. If I made it successful, I would be just as willing to pay the tax.

America made me successful and therefore it's only fair I give back.

(keep that in mind the day I do become successful... :evilgrin: )

[Wiley50]

14. Sinilar to what I was saying

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3075491

[KG]

15. how about getting their kids to fight in the war... that would end it even faster

.

[Booster]

16. Suspend everyone's pay in Wash DC and it will be over in a week.