Rep. David Obey to Obama: If You Want A War, You Should Pay for It
Nice to know I'm not the only person who feels this way. Because if Obama's serious about health care (or anything else), why continue to pour money down a rat hole? That said, what are the odds the congressional war lovers will vote for it? I'd love to make them explain why:
The powerful chairman of the House Appropriations Committee has a stark message for President Obama about Afghanistan -- sending more troops would be a mistake that could "wipe out every initiative we have to rebuild our own economy."
"There ain't going to be no money for nothing if we pour it all into Afghanistan," House Appropriations Chairman David Obey told ABC News in an exclusive interview. "If they ask for an increased troop commitment in Afghanistan, I am going to ask them to pay for it."
Obey, a Democrat from Wisconsin, made it clear that he is absolutely opposed to sending any more U.S. troops to Afghanistan and says if Obama decides to do that, he'll demand a new tax -- what he calls a "war surtax" -- to pay for it.
"On the merits, I think it is a mistake to deepen our involvement," Obey said. "But if we are going to do that, then at least we ought to pay for it. Because if we don't, if we don't pay for it, the cost of the Afghan war will wipe out every initiative we have to rebuild our own economy."
Obey's opposition to funding a troop increase in Afghanistan without a new tax would pose a significant problem for Obama if he decides to send more troops (a decision the White House says the President could make as early as November 30).
As Appropriations Committee chairman, Obey was a key player in securing money for the war when the last war funding bill narrowly passed the House in June.
His demand for a new war tax echoes a similar call by Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin, also a Democrat, who recently told Bloomberg's Al Hunt that he favors a new tax on Americans earning more than $200,000 a year to pay for sending any additional troops.
Obey argued that the tax should be paid by all taxpayers, with rates ranging from 1 percent for lower wage earners to 5 percent for the wealthy.
Let the Republican war mongers pay extra income tax for their wars.
That is flat wrong, the other initiatives are already wiped out because of deficit spending. You are not saving money by stopping the war, you are slowing down pace we are deepening the money hole we are digging. We need to stop the war along with a number of other programs, you don't pay off debt by going deeper into debt. Our annual interest payment alone in 2009 on the national debt was more than we spent on the Iraq War in total.
Goodnight, Frau Blücher
Obama is still the president. Sorry, but its his war.
Bring back the Draft.
Rich Kids Draft!
Draft family members of Congress!
Draft entire Basketball, Football and Baseball teams!!!
OH CAN YOU IMAGINE!!!! All those uber athletes in basic training!!!!
LOLOL!!!!!
I'm sure they're better at following orders, blindly.
It's all that spanking their monkeys.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Rich Kids Draft.
EPIC. WIN.
I wish I could see Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton's face when they get that letter in the mail. Then again, it would be a miracle if they could read it.
NOBODY 2012
I'd settle for just seeing Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton getting their physicals and "short arm inspections" at the recruit center.
Well, at the very least... no F-ING college deferments this time! That's all we need is a whole new generation of holy roller chickenshits going to Divinity College to avoid the draft making people who ran to Canada to avoid it look heroic by comparison.
And I'm not sure about this procriation thing as an excuse to get out of the draft either. If it doesn't keep you out of jail these days, it shouldn't keep you out of the Army.
I have visions of Dick Cheney holding baby Liz up in front of his face at the enlistment center like GREG STILLSON in the final scene of THE DEAD ZONE.
Fri, 11/27/2009 - 11:04 — theWalrus
Bring back the Draft.
__________________________________________________________
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vUXwvy6BE0
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
.
If Congress doesn't want a war, they should de-fund it.
I say draft Ivy league kids with family incomes over $200,000 a year.\
The war would end before the sound bite began!
bring back the draft with NO chenny like deferments and a serious heavy duty war tax. that will shut down both wars over night.
the tax should be across the board and also retroactive to cover the last eight years of halli's, kbr's and blackwater's no bids too.
ahhh too dream
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfHnzYEHAow
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
the college Republicans first!
I went to a Young Republican meeting at my university and handed out Army recruiter pamphlets and was asked to leave!
YELLOW Elephants for nothing.
willing to shed every last drop of (someone else's) blood in the fight against
terrorism. Or is fascism? Communism? Socialism? Totalitarianism? Quick! We need a new enemy for the military industrial complex!
ROFLMAO!
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
Obama was a Democrat.
He was handed 2 shit sandwiches from the world's most successful failure, George W. Bush. There aren't a lot of good options available in Afghanistan, and as far as we know, we're on our way out of Iraq, albeit 7 years too late.
All he needs to do is pull the troops out if he wants to. Its his shit sandwich, and it looks like he likes eating it.
you then accuse him and the Democrats of being the party of cut and run?
.
that Obama needs to grow up and be the president, instead of continuing to run for president. At some point he needs to stop blamng Bush for everything and do his job....I don't think he can. Obamas a train wreck waiting to happen.
for not being a cut and run type. He can't continue to blame Bush, but there has to be a acknowledgement that this mess was created by Shrub and Deferment Dick. Obama's Afghanistan policy COULD be a train wreck. It's happened to other presidents who were afraid to buck the war pimps and the military industrial complex. He is, however, doing exactly what he said he would do during the campaign.
..blame w for the two wars and rightly so..the President doesn't say much about w and while he knows as we all do who started the shit storm, I haven't heard one word from him condemning w or his administration over them. Maybe if he did, maybe if he investigated w's war crimes, I'd have agreed with you, but..sorry, NO.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
Shrub and BigDick Cheney are war criminals. Apparently, prosecuting these mass murderers is somehow considered a distraction. Which is why they never seem to go away. Just ask Henry Kissinger.
..but every other chicken shit republican't would.
But then again, Obama wakes up every morning and the right asks why the President sleeps all night. It doesn't matter what the President does, the right will rail against it. Bring the troops home.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
... let's remember that a lot of Democrats voted for the poorly-worded AUMF that Bush used to justify not only Afghanistan, but Iraq.
The truth is that Obey is just trying to slap a coat of feelgood over the price tag being rammed up our collective asses.
If the POTUS and Congress can't convince citizens that this (and any) war is worth individual financial sacrifice - arguably the easiest type of sacrifice - then we shouldn't be there.
They don;t have to convince anyone. They don't answer to us. I mean if you are mad at your Rep for voting for war funding, what is the alternative? If he loses in the primary another douchebag with the same allegiances will take his place.
... a giant concern troll from the folks who argue 'people fought World War I / World War II / Korea / Vietnam / Iraq so you could have your freedom, pissant liberal hippy no-gooder!'
Halliburton and KBR should be seized and divested for their corruption and killing 13+ marines!
http://rawstory.com/2009/11/kbr-poisoned-1000...
KBR is involved in several lawsuits because of their NO RULES.....NO FEAR..mentality. there's been info. coming out regarding the open fire pits used by KBR to rid waste/garbage that gives off toxic smoke. after the burden to the troops/families the TAX payers will be handed many troops with ongoing costly medical conditions/disabilities. The true cost of these war(s)/occupations will be in the 2-3 trillion.
But they had to deal with rations, and even farming their own veggies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYEnCCJdDvs
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Might I be so bold as to suggest a 90% tax (retroactive to this year) on any bonus paid that is more than 20% of annual salary?
That would tear the very fabric of our space-time continuum!!
Good. It needs a swift kick in the pants.
Where were these SOB's (see "Reid, Harry" and "Pelosi, Nancy") when it was time to stand up to The Bush and The Dick?? (see "hiding")
"Trust no one, Mr. Mulder." - Well-Manicured Man
I agree on the hypcrisy, but at least Obama is apparently supportive of this....at least for today.
are conservative red meat. Massive debt ensures the demise of all social safety nets.
Eactly right, Mike. The "starve the beast" plan of conservatives. The way to end social programs is to blow up the budget.
the wealthy pay the tax and then get around it with multiple loopholes. And the rest of us get stuck with paying a tax for wars we don't want.
Bring back the draft for everyone, men and women, ages 18-65. And you better drop that don't ask, don't tell thingy, because if you don't, I'll make good use of it.
Do tell?
:)
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
;)
If you passed a draft and but didn't drop DADT, half the nation's youth would claim to be gay overnight.
How?
;)
NO! My kids are not going to be sacrificed to the military industrial complex, so people who are angry can make a point.
If they choose to go - fine. But the draft is total bullshit. The weasels like Bush and Cheney will always escape, and the average american's kids will go to the meat grinder.
Our corporate fascist government is so corrupt right now, there is nothing I would trust them with; least of all our kids.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
..you either serve in military service or you serve in some equally challenging service (i.e., teaching inner city youths, road repair, etc.) but you work for the country. Perhaps better or more benefits for military service but service nonetheless.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
tax on lower income people and a 50% tax on the wealthy who benefit most from a war. If we had that as a permanent law, there would be no more wars for stealing resources from 3rd worldd countries.
I think if we make it clear we won't stand for war profiteering, and hand out jail sentences for offenses, you'll see a lot of corporate pressure for war drop.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfHnzYEHAow
Corruption favors the wealthy.
And this should be the result of any successful war profiteering trial for the duration of the hostilities:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do...
Probably one of the earliest inherent powers of the presidency cases.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Right on dude!
I didn't support these crappy, bungled occupations.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
I am certain Lie-berman and the fiscal cons including the colored canines will demand it is deficit neutral.
We can't be adding to the deficit during a recession - riiiight?
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
Remember that windfall profits tax?
It seems the Dems don't.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
And as soon as the windfall profit tax was mentioned seriously - the price of gas came down.
Frankly I never expected it to drop below 3 bucks a gallon. I figured the oil companies were going to stick with the numbers they had under Bush.
Now we're back up to $2.59 here in NM.
How about a windfall profit tax on defense contractors?
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
Can they make it retro-active to 1956? If not, I'll settle for 2001.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
How about a law preventing defense contractors from profiting during War Time?
Is there any way this guy can demand a draft if they want to send more soldiers to Afghanistan?
We all know the patriotic 1st Armored Teabaggers Brigade won't follow the orders of a Kenyan-born secret Muslim socialist whom they, not very long ago, suggested the troops should mutiny against.
now that the walls of the empire are crumbling everybody has the answers. BUSH/neoCONs mismanaged/prolonged these war(s)/occupations as a strategy. during those early years of Iraq the
Republican majority/BUSH passed and signed the huge MEDicare D entitlement program. an expensive
government entitlement program that was not paid for. they also passed the infamous BUSH tax cuts that mcLiar was against before he was for them. The BUSH tax cuts are deficit financed and have a hefty interest payment. I'm having difficulty listening to any of these people. When they finally do bring troops home they better have jobs or we will see even a larger dose of PTSD.
..only suggestions or contrary arguments about whether we should stay or we should go. There are no answers because there's no clear stategy or plan. mccrystal may want more troops to do this or that but who and what are we fighting? Are we looking for obl? Is he still in Afghanistan? Aren't we just refereeing a civil war? What is it going to take to have peace so we can come home? I want some answers; all I see is a yacht called Afghanistan (def: Yacht, a large hole in the ocean into which one pours large sums of money while going slowly nowhere at great expense all the while being cold, wet, tired and hungry.)
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
I'm curious, if they brought back the draft, but kept don't ask don't tell
Would we catch limpballs and becky french kissing each other?
(I mean liberty kissing).
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
The Republican/Bush Tax increase, I'm all for it
ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS find the money to fight an 'effing' war, even ones that accomplish NOTHING and have no end in sight. Little or no debate in Congress; remember, gotta' support those troops, otherwise be pegged as 'unAmerican'.
But politicians will then turn around and endlessly debate social expenditures that cost a fraction of what it costs to fund the war?
Our priorities in this country are so screwed up!
I wholeheartedly agree with Congressman Obey.........you want to send more troops to Afghanistan Mr. President, FUND IT!
By the way, didn't BO promise to end these wars? The guy is a huge disappointment.
"I'll let the whole 'going to war' thing slide as long as we can take more of the public's money in the process."
What a load of crap.
I'd love to see this get to the floor and see just how the Republicans will argue.
Already they're trying to spin it off of them and onto the Dems. Claiming Dems didn't do this to pay for stimulus but now will to pay for a war.
If Big Oil and Defense Companies think it is such an investment to continue the conflict in Afghanistan, then they SHOULD pay for it since they are the only ones who would be getting a return from it. I don't want to pay for the building of a pipeline at the expense of innocent civilians and our military men and women.
Let all the politicians send THEIR kids and family members to war. You know, since they want to blow stuff up and kill people so bad.
NOBODY 2012
you mean like Joe Biden and sarah palin as well as a few other notable politicians?
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
profited from Bush's 3 major tax cuts during Iraq and Afghanistan should pay the surtax on any additional war funding. They've had several years to reap the benefits of interest that accrued on the smash and grab, so now it's time to pony up so that the United States of Oceania can wage perpetual war for perpetual peace.
I don't think Obey is correct in wanting everyone, including low wage earners, to pay a surtax for the war. The middle and working class have already been gutted, go jobless and 45 million have no health care. What more can be asked of the most distressed among us!?!?
"By words the mind is winged." - Aristophanes
Hoist 'em up and squeeze 'em. I call it "trickle down."
I said this years ago. It would be...at least interesting...to see the budget hawks and anti tax people argue against personally supporting our troops.
2 Minute Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OT5uw1Fb_0&fe...
He is dead to me.
Blue Dog Democrats are so fond of TRIGGERS, why don't they make some triggers for wars?
ie-Any military action (nobody EVER calls them wars anymore, since Congress isn't asked to declare them wars these days)...any military action that occupies more than 50 000 troops for more than two years automatically invokes a LOTTERY DRAFT, a WINDFALL PROFITS TAX for corporations that supply the armed forces, and a high income bracket SURTAX to pay for it.
As things are now, I really don't see any downside to either corporations or the wealthy when it comes to fighting wars. Now that we actually get upper income bracket TAX CUTS during wars, and there is no draft, if you're wealthy you'll get a TAX CUT at worst, and windfall profits from your Haliburton stocks at best. And it's not YOUR kids that'll be fighting it. After all, THEY didn't have to sell their souls to the ROTC to pay their way through college.
How about if Obama want's a war then he has to get CONGRESS to actually DECLARE a war!!! Or is it too soon?
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