>>POLL<< You are a congressman, what is your vote on Afghanistan war tax?

[Reason]

You are a congressman/congresswoman,

There is a vote commencing at this moment,

Assume it is calculated accurately that it would cost approximately a 5% national sales tax to keep the war going.

Would you vote for it?

Note that this question is not about the issue of the war but merely the issue that when we go to war should pay for it via taxes.

[davesxj]

What war?

[BuddyRey]

Why make the people suffer for the screwups of a meager few politicians? I'd vote "no" to the tax, but continue to demand the end of the foreign aggression.

I could no sooner find it within my conscience to advocate stealing someone's money to pay for an immoral war than I could to advocate the forcible deployment of unwilling troops.

[rp08orbust]

I would never vote for any involuntary tax whatsoever, so of course not.

[Reason]

I guess one argument would be that a war tax would likely end the war asap.

[Fozz]

YES there should be a war tax. It would be a great inconvenience, but it is preferable to inflating the currency to fund the war, and the ability to do that via the Federal Reserve has allowed the government to fight many unnecessary wars. It is an honest way of paying for a war.

[Jamsie 567]

I voted NO what the hell is wrong with those 4 people HAHA.

[davesxj]

YES there should be a war tax. It would be a great inconvenience, but it is preferable to inflating the currency to fund the war, and the ability to do that via the Federal Reserve has allowed the government to fight many unnecessary wars. It is an honest way of paying for a war.

Unfortunately it goes further back than the Federal Reserve. A long history of debt financed war out there. **And defaulters.

[mtj458]

I voted no, but its more of a vote against the war than against the tax. If we are going to fight the war, whether we pay for it by taxing, borrowing, or printing, its all basically the same in the long run. Part of me thinks we're better off taxing than printing just to avoid the problems of inflation.

[Captain America]

i voted I would vote NO for the implementation of a war tax. Though in a time of great interventionism a weak or strong people should and must repeal oppressive foreign needs or beliefs, with all that they believe in. Themselves as a individual and with liberty.

[tremendoustie]

YES there should be a war tax. It would be a great inconvenience, but it is preferable to inflating the currency to fund the war, and the ability to do that via the Federal Reserve has allowed the government to fight many unnecessary wars. It is an honest way of paying for a war.

I'm not sure mugging people to pay for a war many of whom find immoral and/or unconstitutional constitutes improved honesty, but there's nothing good about inflation either.

I suppose mugging is more "honest" than embezzlement, in some bizarre sense. At least the victim fully realizes he's getting screwed.

I could never vote for a coercive tax, though, so I said no.

[Reason]

If "the people" are going to pay for it one way or another would it not be best to at least have them be aware of it?

Surely this would have ended the war by now if the tax was implemented from the start?

[RM918]

If "the people" are going to pay for it one way or another would it not be best to at least have them be aware of it?

Surely this would have ended the war by now if the tax was implemented from the start?

This sort of thinking places too much faith on the intelligence of the American people, or at least the politically active ones. They've all been sufficiently brainwashed and I'd wager far, far more would be 'proud' to pay the tax than make it change their opinion on the war.

[Reason]

This sort of thinking places too much faith on the intelligence of the American people, or at least the politically active ones. They've all been sufficiently brainwashed and I'd wager far, far more would be 'proud' to pay the tax than make it change their opinion on the war.

I see your point but in my experience I think people might be more selfish than you think and while they might not talk against it at the dinner table they might let their votes do the work of eliminating that pesky tax.

Granted we are just hypothesizing

[Pauls' Revere]

Nope for the reason that it would be double taxation. We already pay for our national defenses through taxation, so adding another tax through sales would be double taxation.

[liberalnurse]

To quote Justin Raimono on the war tax, "No it doesn't have to be paid for, it has to be ended."

[Elwar]

taxation is theft

[coyote_sprit]

Well this all depends on how much Northrop Grumman, Lockheed, etc. are willing to pay me. This is why I'm never going to be a politician, I'm easily corruptible, I don't care if I know a currency is truly worthless as long as the hookers are ignorant of that fact I'm all good.

[jmdrake]

What war?

True. There's been no declaration of war.

[coyote_sprit]

True. There's been no declaration of war.

A fact that can be ignored if enough hookers are present.

[MelissaWV]

This sort of thinking places too much faith on the intelligence of the American people, or at least the politically active ones. They've all been sufficiently brainwashed and I'd wager far, far more would be 'proud' to pay the tax than make it change their opinion on the war.

Agreed, and then the rest of us who know what a stupid waste of time, lives, money, and good will the war is... would still have to pay increased sales tax on a lot of things. :mad:

[Kludge]

Just tax the Internet. How many American soldiers, which YOUR REPRESENTATIVES voted to send over, are you willing to let die MURDER due to underfunding so you can buy the extra hair-sucking attachment for your unpatriotic vacuum system manufactured by COMMUNISTS IN RED CHINA!?! Hey -- I'm sure they'll use that money for something good.... maybe... FLYING A PLANE INTO ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS SO THEY CAN SUBVERT OUR GOVERNMENT, INDOCTRINATE OUR CHILDREN, AND THEN SPIT ON OUR FREEDOMS AS THEY ROPE US INTO GLOBAL COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT!

Asshole!

[Danke]

Just tax the Internet. How many American soldiers, which YOUR REPRESENTATIVES voted to send over, are you willing to let die MURDER due to underfunding so you can buy the extra hair-sucking attachment for your unpatriotic vacuum system manufactured by COMMUNISTS IN RED CHINA!?! Hey -- I'm sure they'll use that money for something good.... maybe... FLYING A PLANE INTO ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS SO THEY CAN SUBVERT OUR GOVERNMENT, INDOCTRINATE OUR CHILDREN, AND THEN SPIT ON OUR FREEDOMS AS THEY ROPE US INTO GLOBAL COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT!

Asshole!

As usual, well said Kludge.

They should also tax Wi-Fi.

[paulitics]

YES there should be a war tax. It would be a great inconvenience, but it is preferable to inflating the currency to fund the war, and the ability to do that via the Federal Reserve has allowed the government to fight many unnecessary wars. It is an honest way of paying for a war.

What he said.

[Icymudpuppy]

I think a war tax may be the only way to wake up the neocon sheep to the true cost of war.

[armstrong]

Nope for the reason that it would be double taxation. We already pay for our national defenses through taxation, so adding another tax through sales would be double taxation.

this!!!!!how can you pay more if your all ready broke!!!!

[armstrong]

True. There's been no declaration of war.

and this........

[Reason]

YouTube - War On Terror Cheerleaders Upset They May Have To Pay Their Share For The War They LOVE SO MUCH! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izo-BQSzVo0)

[heavenlyboy34]

The only reason I voted yes is that it would make the costs more obvious to the average person, and make them more likely to oppose the war.

[RevolutionSD]

For anyone here that voted Yes on this, realize you are voting to:

1) Steal money from the American people directly at the threat of violence
2) Put this money in the pockets of defense contractors
3) Increase the number of deaths of innocent Afghanis and U.S. soldiers

Nice job.

[Bucjason]

YES there should be a war tax. It would be a great inconvenience, but it is preferable to inflating the currency to fund the war, and the ability to do that via the Federal Reserve has allowed the government to fight many unnecessary wars. It is an honest way of paying for a war.

But not preferable to voting "No" and ending the stupid war, because we shouldn't be forced to fund a waste of damn time.

The answer is NO.

[RevolutionSD]

The only reason I voted yes is that it would make the costs more obvious to the average person, and make them more likely to oppose the war.

The average person unfortunately would not even blink an eye. In fact, it would likely be considered "unpatriotic" to be against paying for this, in the name of "defending the country".

[Reason]

YouTube - White House: Troop Announcement Possible Next Week (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ8LHR_WwpQ)

[armstrong]

home owners ins. auto ins. buisness tax. federal tax.state tax.interest. buisness ins. health ins. why not war tax.hell just take all of our income well maybe leave us with 25%

[armstrong]

of course I voted no, oh did I forget personal property tax in some states, and bonds doubling in some states like mine and fees going up like crazy?hell why not more fees and taxes.......just my rant.....

[RyanRSheets]

I am generally opposed to involuntary taxation, however, I'm having trouble finding a real precedent for voluntary war. As it stands, rather than directly taxing for the wars, we are taxing by way of inflation. Most people have no idea the war is even costing them money. If we abolish the Federal Reserve, the only way to fund war would be to cut back on domestic spending, or increase taxation. Obviously, I wholeheartedly support cutting domestic spending, but, as Reagan said, government programs are the closest thing to immortal in this world. The natural suggestion, then, will always be that taxes must be increased. Ideally, the war tax would never be used, but I believe that, in times of war, a tax levied explicitly to fund the war would be the best way to encourage opposition to the war.

I'd rather it be a voluntary tax, much like Ayn Rand would probably suggest, but I doubt the average person would understand such a thing.

[Reason]

//

[CzargwaR]

Voted yes because the alternative is the government having to borrow the money and making our children pay for the stupid wars of their stupid parents.

[PreDeadMan]

NO TO THE WAR TAX! and I sure as hell don't want my hard earned money a percentage being sent for foreign aid or to our evil foreign policy of interventionism which breeds the terrorism like Dr. Paul says undermines our national security and puts us at a GREATER RISK! BRING THE TROOPS HOME OBUSHA you COWARD TRAITOR BASTARD!