FARK.com: (7174273) Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-efeatist, Vt.) wants to make all Americans suffer during wartime by requiring higher taxes to pay for wars up front, not decades down the road. Look, Patrick, I already put a yellow ribbon on my car

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		Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-efeatist, Vt.) wants to make all Americans suffer during wartime by requiring higher taxes to pay for wars up front, not decades down the road. Look, Patrick, I already put a yellow ribbon on my car (washingtonpost.com)		231
		More: Asinine, Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, Jim McGovern, human beings, John Murtha, excise taxes, Kony, military aviation, world leaders

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1406 clicks; posted to Politics » on 21 Jun 2012 at 10:28 AM | Favorite | share:

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vernonFL		2012-06-21 09:21:56 AM

DIdn't the Iraq war pay for itself?

RexTalionis		2012-06-21 09:34:49 AM

Aarontology		2012-06-21 09:34:56 AM

That's how it should be done.

If America is going to war, then everyone should have to do something for the war effort. America shouldn't be willing to send soldiers to their deaths if they're not willing to pay for it.

vpb		2012-06-21 09:46:47 AM

I suspect that the people who love these wars so much aren't going to be very happy about having to pay for them.

Guidette Frankentits		2012-06-21 09:47:34 AM

I'm already against the next war.

Diogenes		2012-06-21 09:48:50 AM

RexTalionis		2012-06-21 09:50:15 AM

Diogenes: RexTalionis: [www.americainfra.com image 340x500]
[rlv.zcache.com image 400x400]
[www.usmm.org image 392x450]
[broeder10.files.wordpress.com image 463x592]
[whenfallsthecoliseum.com image 434x594]

SINK THE JAPNAZIS. Lulz.

Don't forget this gem.

RexTalionis		2012-06-21 09:51:32 AM

RexTalionis: Diogenes: RexTalionis: [www.americainfra.com image 340x500]
[rlv.zcache.com image 400x400]
[www.usmm.org image 392x450]
[broeder10.files.wordpress.com image 463x592]
[whenfallsthecoliseum.com image 434x594]

SINK THE JAPNAZIS. Lulz.

Don't forget this gem.

xe1.xanga.com

Whoops.

Diogenes		2012-06-21 09:51:35 AM

Blocking our ability to skip the bill on our wars is a threat to national security.

Unlike bankrupting us and leaving extremely vulnerable to our creditors and economic instability...that's patriotism.

Hey, look at me! I'm Jonah Goldberg!

Diogenes		2012-06-21 09:52:12 AM

RexTalionis: RexTalionis: Diogenes: RexTalionis: [www.americainfra.com image 340x500]
[rlv.zcache.com image 400x400]
[www.usmm.org image 392x450]
[broeder10.files.wordpress.com image 463x592]
[whenfallsthecoliseum.com image 434x594]

SINK THE JAPNAZIS. Lulz.

Don't forget this gem.

[xe1.xanga.com image 400x561]

Whoops.

We're so cute when our nationalism is laced with racism.

Aarontology		2012-06-21 09:55:02 AM

Diogenes: RexTalionis: RexTalionis: Diogenes: RexTalionis: [www.americainfra.com image 340x500]
[rlv.zcache.com image 400x400]
[www.usmm.org image 392x450]
[broeder10.files.wordpress.com image 463x592]
[whenfallsthecoliseum.com image 434x594]

SINK THE JAPNAZIS. Lulz.

Don't forget this gem.

[xe1.xanga.com image 400x561]

Whoops.

We're so cute when our nationalism is laced with racism.

If you're ever in New Orleans, you should check out the WW2 Museum. Their collection of racist propaganda posters is awesome. Especially the "how to tell a chinaman from a jap" one.

It's in the toes, you see because they wear different sandals. Also, the japanese have treacherous dispositions.

RexTalionis		2012-06-21 09:57:48 AM

Aarontology: If you're ever in New Orleans, you should check out the WW2 Museum. Their collection of racist propaganda posters is awesome. Especially the "how to tell a chinaman from a jap" one.

That wasn't a poster. That was an article from Life Magazine. Link goes to magazine.

Mentat		2012-06-21 10:01:27 AM

More empires have fallen due to ill-advised wars than for any other reason. Remember that when you vote Republican.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat		2012-06-21 10:02:21 AM

Diogenes: We're so cute when our nationalism is laced with racism.

Old timey racism is the best racism. It's almost adorable.

/Buy War Bonds.

JerseyTim		2012-06-21 10:08:02 AM

RexTalionis: [www.americainfra.com image 340x500]
[rlv.zcache.com image 400x400]
[www.usmm.org image 392x450]
[broeder10.files.wordpress.com image 463x592]
[whenfallsthecoliseum.com image 434x594]

What the fark, Superman? You could end this all by yourself right now and you're out hawking war bonds? Fly into Berlin, pick up Hitler, throw him into the sun. What an ass.

Aarontology		2012-06-21 10:16:09 AM

RexTalionis: That wasn't a poster. That was an article from Life Magazine. Link goes to magazine.

It's somewhat amusing that they were using racism to fight racism.

PanicMan		2012-06-21 10:31:22 AM

Aarontology: That's how it should be done.

If America is going to war, then everyone should have to do something for the war effort. America shouldn't be willing to send soldiers to their deaths if they're not willing to pay for it.

Absolutely. So many people talk about supporting the troops but don't actually do it.

Lost Thought 00		2012-06-21 10:32:28 AM

Easy to say, but the US hasn't officially been at war for quite a while. This will just further encourage "military police actions" instead of proper wars

Shvetz		2012-06-21 10:33:44 AM

Remember when Bush paid for the wars with emergency spending measures, so they wouldn't even show up in the budget? Good times.

Cubs300		2012-06-21 10:34:28 AM

You mean the nation shouldn't be charging things on their credit card that they have no intention of paying for? Just like us real people? Can we get bill collectors to harass Congress to pay the bill on the previous however-many wars that have yet to be paid for? Or the President...current and previous administration(s)?

I mean, if I can't go off and spend however much on whatever I want without paying consequences somewhere down the line, why should they?

Alphax		2012-06-21 10:35:26 AM

It's gotten too easy to wage war.

(plug for 'Drift' by Rachel Maddow goes here)

Antimatter		2012-06-21 10:36:08 AM

Lord_Baull		2012-06-21 10:36:39 AM

Or, how about we don't get into any more farking wars??

Remember, it was bad, very bad according to Republicans when Obama used very limited resources to oust Ghaddaffi.

advex101		2012-06-21 10:36:59 AM

We must immediately invade and occupy Iraq for 10 years

Crowd: USA!, USA!, USA!

There will be a simultaneous 10% increase in tax rate

Crowd: Can't we all just get along? Have all possible opportunities for negotiation been investigated? Is this war necessary?

HotWingConspiracy		2012-06-21 10:36:59 AM

Since we don't declare war anymore, it's never war time.

Unless a republican wants you to show fealty to their president. Then it's always war time, and any disagreement with the president is treason.

meat0918		2012-06-21 10:38:39 AM

That right there would end more wars before they start.

Where's the farking hero tag?

cabbyman		2012-06-21 10:38:40 AM

I gotta be honest. I think this is a great idea.

GoodScout		2012-06-21 10:39:05 AM

Actually, the idea dates back to Jefferson. So suck on that, teapartiers.

Tad_Waxpole		2012-06-21 10:39:41 AM

fark YES.

And your contribution should be listed in your paycheck, right next to all of your other tax withholdings like Social Security

Imagine how people would feel if they saw this on their paystub:

Fed IRAQ conflict: $23.15
Fed AFGH conflict: $19.40

Diogenes		2012-06-21 10:39:42 AM

HotWingConspiracy: Unless a republican wants you to show fealty to their president.

I'm getting sick of being fealt up.

Dr Dreidel		2012-06-21 10:39:53 AM

JerseyTim: RexTalionis: [www.americainfra.com image 340x500]
[rlv.zcache.com image 400x400]
[www.usmm.org image 392x450]
[broeder10.files.wordpress.com image 463x592]
[whenfallsthecoliseum.com image 434x594]

What the fark, Superman? You could end this all by yourself right now and you're out hawking war bonds? Fly into Berlin, pick up Hitler, throw him into the sun. What an ass.

You may recall that it was not Hitler's "suicide" (or really, "We have this account of what happened, and the area was bombed to shiat, so 2.x + 2.y = 5") that ended German involvement in WWII. That was April-ish of 1945, the war didn't end until Japan had two unexpected sunrises in late summer.

Superman would have had to build up some momentum and punched the ground in Hiroshima and Nagasaki with atom-bomb force. Might have saved the US government several billions and a few years, but we wouldn't have the Voyager spacecraft without the Manhattan Project's research.

// if "Superman = Jesus allegory", then the moral of the Superman/WWII timeline is that we don't need supernatural help to Make America Great

Truncks1		2012-06-21 10:40:17 AM

MFL		2012-06-21 10:41:20 AM

I'll go along with this, if we do the same thing for entitlements.

thurstonxhowell		2012-06-21 10:41:41 AM

GoodScout: Actually, the idea dates back to Jefferson. So suck on that, teapartiers.

I thought the Tea Party had already erased him from history.

papa_neslo		2012-06-21 10:41:45 AM

We are sacrificng our son and daughters...

Now you want us to sacrifice our Walmart purchases too, in an effort to expand government spending... If anything we should see tax cuts to help pay for the war, especially for the wealthy military industrialists who now have shift work away from.... uh whatever it is there were doing and make more weapons for America.

Am I doing it right Republicans?

monoski		2012-06-21 10:42:03 AM

The pre-pay idea is rather stupid but probably would have been more appropriate to pay for the wars as they are going on not punt it down the road to the next administration.

karnal		2012-06-21 10:42:13 AM

I think they should set up a war fund that we can pay into.....lots of them with their own 800 number and we get to pick and choose who we want to go to war with.....and if the war fund for...let's say, New Zealand, has the most money in it....that is the war we fight.

cameroncrazy1984		2012-06-21 10:43:00 AM

MFL: I'll go along with this, if we do the same thing for entitlements.

I guess that's why we don't have a FICA tax or anything...

LeoffDaGrate		2012-06-21 10:43:15 AM

The aspect of war has changed, as has the impression that we get what we're paying for.

During WWII, people were glad to pony up some cash to protect their boys in the armed services. They knew the money was going more directly to protection and backing of the troops. There was a more physical face on things.

Nowadays, getting that higher tax rate (or doing a bond drive or whatever) is harder to do because the average US citizen doesn't wish to put their money towards a one-use $800,000 smart bomb.

thurstonxhowell		2012-06-21 10:43:49 AM

MFL: I'll go along with this, if we do the same thing for entitlements.

You're right, we should have a separate tax, just for Social Security. That way, we could see exactly what Social Security is costing us printed on every paycheck. That's a great idea and it's a terrible shame that's not already exactly what we do.

contrapunctus		2012-06-21 10:44:07 AM

War has become the ultimate reality TV series for the American public. Therefore it should be financed with advertising dollars.

"The 451st Tampax Airborne."

//Brought to you by Carl's Jr.

Chummer45		2012-06-21 10:44:53 AM

Wow, what a crazy concept.

This drive me batshiat crazy. GWB started two wars right after he cut taxes. Then, the military made massive efforts to sanitize coverage of the war.

So, in other words, Americans can go to war (1) without having their sensitivities offended by the brutality of it, and (2) without having to pay for it.

It drives me nuts that those two points don't even seem to register with most people. The response tends to be "well, yeah - you can't cut taxes with a shaky economy!" and "nobody wants to see terrible images on the news every night."

Always make sure your wars are guiltless!

Wendy's Chili		2012-06-21 10:46:00 AM

You're... you're crazy, man.

Karac		2012-06-21 10:46:01 AM

Antimatter: JerseyTim: RexTalionis: [www.americainfra.com image 340x500]
[rlv.zcache.com image 400x400]
[www.usmm.org image 392x450]
[broeder10.files.wordpress.com image 463x592]
[whenfallsthecoliseum.com image 434x594]

What the fark, Superman? You could end this all by yourself right now and you're out hawking war bonds? Fly into Berlin, pick up Hitler, throw him into the sun. What an ass.

superman doesn't kill, none of the DC superheros do. So really, he's grab hitler, fly back to the Allied lines, and let them take him out.

mimg.ugo.com

Maybe Germany has a stockpile of Kryptonite. A better question is why Captain America didn't just pop a cap in Hitler after he knocked him out. The WW2 era Cap didn't have anything against killing Nazis; he's shown in flashbacks firing machine guns and throwing grenades.

way south		2012-06-21 10:46:03 AM

Lost Thought 00: Easy to say, but the US hasn't officially been at war for quite a while. This will just further encourage "military police actions" instead of proper wars

This.
Also: They've never had a problem using the draft when shiat gets real and you need warm bodies on the front line. Its not like they intend to lose a war because of your unwillingness to participate.
They'll pay a guy to shove a bayonet in your back and help you locate your lost sense of patriotism.

I don't think the level of sacrifice demanded from the peasantry is at all relative to the desire for, or against, going to war.

Lord_Baull		2012-06-21 10:46:26 AM

MFL: I'll go along with this, if we do the same thing for entitlements.

You could have just run with, "I don't know where my tax money goes."

Quickmatch		2012-06-21 10:46:42 AM

Ask my friends - Any time over the past couple of years, whenever I've had more than a couple of drinks, I've been railing on about this very idea.

My parents grew up during the depression and the years of WWII. They told stories of how nearly everyone had to tangibly sacrifice in order to support the war effort. I was born in the 50s and I have NEVER had to sacrifice to support any of the myriad wars we have fought since then.

I agree with the Republicans on this - no more deficit spending, especially on wars.

Moosecakes		2012-06-21 10:47:28 AM

YES YES PLEASE. I can not fathom how we've gone over 200 years without a wartime tax

Headso		2012-06-21 10:47:34 AM

MFL: I'll go along with this, if we do the same thing for entitlements.

I wish I never held a job in my life, must be nice.

papa_neslo		2012-06-21 10:48:14 AM

Tad_Waxpole: fark YES.

And your contribution should be listed in your paycheck, right next to all of your other tax withholdings like Social Security

Imagine how people would feel if they saw this on their paystub:

Fed IRAQ conflict: $23.15
Fed AFGH conflict: $19.40

I like the concept of an itemized bill on our paychecks. Should be for all gov't spending.

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