Pay As You Go

As a general rule, I have been opposed to all of the recent Democratic Party proposals in Congress regarding the War in Iraq. I think they’ve largely been bone-headed proposals intended to debate _yesterday’s_ issue of whether or not to invade Iraq instead of debating _today’s_ issue, which is what should we be doing to help Iraq restore their government and rebuild their nation. We are in nation building phase now whether the Democratic Party would like it to be or not.

But today Rep. David Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and Reps John Murtha and Jim McGovern, all Democrats, offered a tax plan that add surcharges to our tax bill in order to pay for the latest $150 billion funding request.

I don’t know the details of the plan. I might find the details odious. If the tax plan said that the $150 billion would be paid for by people whose first name is Calvin, i might object.

But as a general principle, I am 100% for paying for wars as we go along. I actually agree with Rep. Obey when he argued on the House floor today that it’s unfair to burden future generations with the cost of this war.

I just wish that the Democratic Party would apply this principle to other areas of government as well. And I am apalled that the Republicans, the party that once upon a time argued that it is the party of fiscal responsibility, didn’t pick up on the Democratic gambit and say, “Yeah, you’re right. It’s the right thing to do. Let’s work together to come up with a plan to pay for this $150 billion.”

What do we get from the Republicans instead? Well, for one thing we get Rep. Roy Blunt, Repubican Whip saying “If the new majority has proven one thing this session, it’s that no piece of legislation is immune from being converted into a vehicle to raise taxes.”

Rep. Nancy Pelosi has also stated her opposition to the proposal.

Argh.

Full story at:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071003/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq_tax