Grayson introduces ‘War Is Making You Poor Act’ to highlight cost of ongoing wars.

[cal04]

Grayson introduces ‘War Is Making You Poor Act’ to highlight cost of ongoing wars.

Today, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) introduced bipartisan legislation called the “War Is Making You Poor Act,” which aims to call attention to a) how much money is being spent to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and b) how budget gimmicks are used to pay for them. Grayson’s legislation would slash the $159 billion request for supplemental war funding and use that money to deliver a tax break for all Americans. Grayson demands the Pentagon use its currently existing $549 billion defense budget to fight the wars. Speaking on the House floor today, Grayson underscored that the point of his legislation is to highlight the costs of the wars:

GRAYSON: So I believe that the thing we need to do is to take that $159 billion that the President has set aside – we’re not saying he has to stop the war, we’re not giving a cut-off date for the war – we’re simply saying you need to fund that out of the base budget of $549 billion. And we take 90 percent of that and give it back to the American people.

And I think most people would be surprised to learn that that is so much money that we’ve been spending on the war in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq that every single taxpayer in America will be get his first or her first $35,000 of income completely tax free.

Watch it:http://thinkprogress.org/2010/05/21/grayson-wars-taxes-americans/

Grayson’s bill, which is currently being co-sponsored by Reps. Ron Paul (R-TX), Walter Jones (R-NC), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) Barbara Lee (D-CA), John Conyers (D-MI), and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), would also cut the federal deficit by $15.9 billion. “There is no longer any need to go beyond the exorbitant base defense budget,” Grayson said. “It is not necessary. Enough is enough.”



Updated to put his post from Daily Kos
by Alan Grayson
More at link
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/5/21/868649/-The-War-Is-Making-You-Poor-Act

The War Is Making You Poor Act
Next week, there is going to be a "debate" in Congress on yet another war funding bill. The bill is supposed to pass without debate, so no one will notice.

What George Orwell wrote about in "1984" has come true. What Eisenhower warned us about concerning the "military-industrial complex" has come true. War is a permanent feature of our societal landscape, so much so that no one notices it anymore.

But we’re going to change this. Today, we’re introducing a bill called ‘The War Is Making You Poor Act’. The purpose of this bill is to connect the dots, and to show people in a real and concrete way the cost of these endless wars.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. It's about time!!

[secondwind]

2. I agree, enough is enough! We are building schools in Baghdad instead of Baltimore!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

[Lasher]

3. This is so refreshing.

Somebody actually daring to challenge the runaway defense appropriations.

[tilsammans]

4. Bravo!

Check this out: http://www.costofwar.com/

Enough is enough.

[KareBear]

8. seems low

That estimate per taxpayer of $7479 seems low considering its spread over 9 years. I would have thought it would be much much more.

[Flaneur]

5. We need to see more of this kind of thing.

[KonaKane]

6. Beautiful. Let's see now if the "I hate immigrants" crowd gets some perspective.

Confidence is not high.

[laughingliberal]

7. He is so good!

Tee hee. Opposing his bill will mean you are against a tax break for the American people. Is there anyone who would not want to be able to make their first $35,000 tax free?

[happy_liberal]

9. I love this man!!

:applause:

[ixion]

10. Very nice!!

Way to go, Mr. Grayson! :applause: :woohoo:

[Supersedeas]

11. but the Defense Contractors of the world have plenty to cheer and so many political campaigns to

contribute to.