This is as close to a smackdown as you get on Capital Hill:
Pelosi Dismisses Obey’s War Surtax
Dec. 3, 2009, 12:11 p.m.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday shot down a proposal by House Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) to impose a surtax to cover the costs of the Afghanistan war.
“I’m not in support of the proposal by Mr. Obey,” Pelosi told reporters. “With the highest regard for Mr. Obey, that is his idea. He is speaking for himself.”
Goddamn Shame
Why can't I have responsible politicians? I would vote for them; I would even cheat to vote for them repeatedly.
I'm reminded of Douglas Adams' Hitchhikers' Guide trilogy (of 5 books), wherein there is a planet full of humans which is run by lizards that the humans elect every few years. The lizards are all terribly corrupt and in bed with each other, and frankly don't give a damn about what the humans really want, but the humans still vote for them anyway because heaven forbid the wrong lizards get into power. Amiright?
I don't support a war tax for the sake of taxes, but for the political fire it will put under our country to finish the job. I would hate to belabor the point Bruce Bartlett has already made so clearly that a war tax is a fantastic way to get something done toute suite.
In that same vein, the war tax proposition is asking our (Democratic) politicians to hold their own feet to the fire and to make what will be a politically unpopular move in an election year. As much sense as it makes to pay for what you are doing, I don't expect the "spend-and-spend" beltway mentality to go anywhere as long as responsible fiscal planning can be called "tax-and-spend politics".