How to end the Iraq Occupation: make all of us pay as we go
This is the proposal by Dave Johnson of Huffpo:
“If the COSTS of the occupation were actually being paid by the public-at-large — instead of borrowing the money and making our kids pay it off — it would end tomorrow.” Here’s the plan:
1) A huge-ass whopping tax on everyone to pay the costs of the occupation. This comes to about $8500 for each family of four so far, not counting upcoming costs like replacement of equipment, medical care for the wounded, the cost of eventually bringing them home, etc.
2) Any family that actually sends someone to fight in the war does not have to pay the tax.
I fear that the American public is afflicted by Innumeracy. This affliction explains our vulnerability to predatory lending (e.g., payday loans) as well as our willingness to continue with our occupation of Iraq. Johnson’s solution would make the financial costs of this war immediately apparent, even to those people who don’t understand concepts like debt and interest rates. Enacting his plan would also expose Iraq to be the domestic issue it truly is.
- It’s official and it’s contrary to Bush rhetoric: Iraq occupation is the primary recruitment vehicle for terrorist organizations
- More than 2,000 Active duty soldiers stick out their necks to protest Iraq occupation
- The daily cost of the Iraq occupation: $720 million
- Director Phil Donahue discusses the sanitizing of the Iraq occupation.
- Senator Russ Feingold: Time for a real plan to end American military involvement in Iraq.
