The unuseful question of a war tax

E. J. Dionne Jr.:

Would conservatives and Republicans support the war in Iraq if they had to pay for it?

That is the immensely useful question that Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, put on the table this week by calling for a temporary war tax to cover President Bush's request for $145 billion in supplemental spending for Iraq.

..

The question is not only not useful it is disingenuous. We are already paying taxes for the war, and what Obey wants is a war tax so that he can spend the proceeds on social programs to buy votes for Democrats. He would also damage the economy and otherwise try to undermine the war effort which has been the goal of many democrats for years now. Democrats have no credibility on this issue and Obey is just demonstrating how cynical his parties is on the subject.

Dionne is showing he is just as cynical.

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