Neuharth: Raise Income Tax So Iraq War Hawks Will Become Doves

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Regretting that “few grownups are concerned about the $526 billion cost so far for the Iraq war without end” because “President Bush and his rich buddies have made sure most of the monetary burden will be borne by our children and grandchildren,” USA Today founder Al Neuharth, in his weekly column on Friday, recommended “a stiff income tax surcharge” to pay for the war. But Neuharth made clear his real motive is to turn those for the war against it:

The surest way to jar us into realizing the unconscionable cost of the Iraq debacle is to impose a stiff income tax surcharge to pay for it. If we did that, most hawks would become doves overnight.

Neuharth hailed Abraham Lincoln for imposing an income tax to pay for the Civil War and stressed how the current rates in the U.S. “are below those of other major countries. France, Germany, Great Britain and Japan all assess higher rates. The Netherlands' top rate is 52% and Sweden's is 60%.”

As always, below Neuharth's column USA Today featured one supportive and one opposing view. For this column,  Bob McIntyre of Citizens for Tax Justice praised the “great idea!” while Duane Parde of the National Taxpayers Union provided a solid retort:

Defense spending is topping $600 billion this year, but social spending will be almost three times bigger. Washington should cut waste and set priorities with the trillions of dollars it already has, not further loot people's wallets.

(Screen shot is from a 2004 Smithsonian event carried by C-SPAN. MRC CyberAlert article on it.)

An excerpt from Neuharth's June 27 column: “Fairest war tax is 146 years old July 1"

Few grownups are concerned about the $526 billion cost so far for the Iraq war without end. That's because President Bush and his rich buddies have made sure most of the monetary burden will be borne by our children and grandchildren.

What a difference from the war that saved our nation. One hundred forty-six years ago next week, on July 1, 1862, President Lincoln signed our first and very fair income tax law to pay for the Civil War....

It was re-enacted in 1913 in anticipation of World War I and has been in effect ever since....

Current IRS rate ranges:

* 10% for annual income up to $16,050.

* 35% for those earning over $357,700.

Actually, those rates are below those of other major countries. France, Germany, Great Britain and Japan all assess higher rates. The Netherlands' top rate is 52% and Sweden's is 60%.

Income tax increases or surcharges are the fairest way to pay for any emergencies. That's especially true of wars.

With an all-volunteer military, most of us avoid the sacrifice of service. So we should pay the bills for proper equipment, pay and retirement rewards for those who serve....

The surest way to jar us into realizing the unconscionable cost of the Iraq debacle is to impose a stiff income tax surcharge to pay for it. If we did that, most hawks would become doves overnight.