| Joe Lieberman apparently won't be satisfied until everyone in Washington hates his guts. His latest effort to carve out a niche that only he can occupy is to propose a war tax.
Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut proposed a "war on terrorism tax" at a Senate hearing during which he said the Pentagon's $622 billion defense budget proposal for fiscal 2008 threatened to crowd out funds for domestic programs.
The lawmaker, a former Democrat turned independent, favors a U.S. troop buildup in Iraq.
Bush traveled to Manassas, Virginia, to deliver the opposite message about the budget he submitted to the Democrat-controlled Congress on Monday.
Give the man some credit. At least he is drawing attention to something other politicians have been loathe to mention: the fact that Bush's wanton military spending spree is having disastrous consequences for the nation's financial security.
Of course, there were no specifics forthcoming and heaven forfend that he should suggest taxing the super rich and the war profiteers (which would be the logical, not to mention the morally correct place to start).
It will be amusing to see how long it takes Bush to ask for his Class Ring back from his favorite Democrat. or ex-Democrat as the article cited and an increasing number of news outlets are pointing out. And how eager will Republicans be to wrap their arms around Holy Joe now that he has offended their true God -- Mammon?
On a more practical level, it might just be that the one thing that can shake the enthusiasm of the radical right for the neocon tragedy unfolding in the Middle East is the specter that it could cost them a few pennies that could otherwise be spent on yet more luxuries. If Lieberman's suggestion helps that notion sink in, we may have something to thank him for.
Not that I'm holding my breath. |
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