Senators: Delay top tax cuts to pay for rebuilding Iraq, Afghanistan

[Nambe]

WASHINGTON (CNN)

The United States needs "a lot more" than $87 billion to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan, and Congress should put off tax cuts for the top income bracket to pay for it, a leading Democratic senator said Sunday.

Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Delaware, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said deferring cuts that are set to take effect for the top one percent of taxpayers in 2005 would save $89 billion without interrupting middle- class tax breaks.

"Ask any of the people making over 360 grand, would they forgo one year of the 10 years beginning in 2005 in order to win this? I've not found anybody who's said no," Biden told "Fox News Sunday."

Another committee member, Nebraska Republican Chuck Hagel, said "tough choices" need to be made to pay for the cost of occupying and rebuilding Iraq and supporting the reconstruction of Afghanistan, and he predicted that the Bush administration would have to answer "tough questions" before its spending request passes. ---

[Nottingham]

1. Oh there goes Bush's Tax Cut! Remember Read My Lips

You will get Tax Cuts but after I'm elected you will lose them and have to pair more!

:bounce:

[calimary]

2. Good enough!

Many people claim it was the "Read My Lips" two-step that derailed bush senior's reelection. This will be the "junior" version of it. Hey, ANYTHING that works!

[DBoon]

3. Of course they won't mind

They are all patriotic Americans! I mean after how well this country has treated them - some people give their lives to Iraq, I'm sure they wouldn't mind at all giving some of their money.