My newest radical idea... No more wars on credit

[LuckyTheDog]

Pass a Constitutional amendment requiring the government to raise taxes to pay for any military engagement that lasts more than 60 days. The tax hike lasts until the war is paid off. Everybody pays except those in the military or in poverty. The tax should be progressive -- rich pay should more, while the middle class and below should pay less.

Discuss...

[Shagbark Hickory]

1. How about no wars, period?

[LuckyTheDog]

2. OK... let's not get crazy!

I hear you, but... never in a million years...

[mother earth]

3. Seriously, they rage on about cutting spending on things like

Medicare, and apparently no one sees the two elephants in the room...the raging wars...all while the masses suffer and the elderly wonder how to make ends meet and still buy medicine.

[BadgerKid]

4. But that would be against raiding the public sector!!!11!11!

I mean, why disturb things like military actions, "war" on drugs, etc., when there's untapped money streams in privatizing health and education?

[damntexdem]

5. Sounds nice but cannot work.

When the U.S. was in a war of survival (Revolutionary, Civil War, WWII), credit was absolutely essential to waging the war.

How about no credit for war unless a super majority in Congress can be convinced that the war in fact IS one of national survival?

[klook]

6. Every war is spun as being "for national survival."

They're never going to come right out and say, "We want to grab their natural resources!" or "There's an election coming up! Who can we bomb?"

I like your idea but a lot of things are going to have to change before we get to a rational defense policy. It's a long process, and one worth a lot of energy and work to achieve.

[LuckyTheDog]

8. I am not saying don't borrow money

I am saying that taxes should be raised to pay for it. And the war taxes should not be repealed until the war is paid off -- which could be decades after the war ends if it's a big one.

My thinking is that if every war needed to have a dedicated revenue stream attached to it, then we'd be less likely to wage war unless it really was necessary.

[BlueCollar]

7. define "...any military engagement" ...n/t

[Cid_B]

9. Never gonna happen...

Closest you would get is the balanced budget amendment.

[wildeyed]

10. Brilliant idea.

Make people think about the financial cost of war, since they don't seem to care much about the human cost. Tell them, If you want this war then think about how you are going to PAY for this war. It takes more than bumper stickers and flag waving.