November 18, 2007 - By True Patriot and Congressman
Ron
Paul
Congressman Charlie Rangel recently unveiled a tax plan that
Republicans estimate would raise taxes by $3.5 trillion over
10 years. Democrats questioned the math.
Now, the Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee have released
a report on the total costs of the military operations in Iraq
and Afghanistan , including "hidden costs" such as
interest on the money we're borrowing, and long term healthcare
for vets. The bill comes to $3.5 trillion. Republicans are,
of course, questioning the math on this item.
One thing taxpayers know is taxing and spending is expensive,
and government cost estimates tend to be on the conservative
side relative to the actual bills. However extracted and spent
$3.5 trillion is an unimaginable extra burden on our economy.
If $3.5 trillion is the true cost of these military adventures,
$11,500 is the amount every man, woman and child in this country
pays. So, a family of four would pay $46,000 just for this
war. This is an especially painful number to me, as the median
household income of my constituency in Texas is just $43,000
a year. In other words, war has cost more than an entire year’s
worth of income from each middle class Texas family.
What about the impact of these costs on education, the very
thing that so often helps to increase earnings? $46,000 would
cover 90% of the tuition costs to attend a four year public
university in Texas for both children in that family of four.
Obviously, it would far outpace the cost of a community college
degree, so vital to so many in the workforce.
But, instead of sending kids to college, too often we’re
sending them to Iraq , where the best news in a long time is
they aren't killing our men and women as fast as they were
last month.
The Heritage Foundation estimates a $3.5 trillion tax increase
would be responsible for 2,200 lost jobs in my district alone,
over 70,000 lost jobs across Texas . That's 70,000 Texans in
unemployment lines, without health insurance for their families.
Some Democrats may not want to spend $3.5 trillion on Iraq
, but they do want to raise it in new taxes. And, by digging
our economy into a deeper hole, they would create a lot more
demand for the social programs they propose.
Tax and spend policies create needs they can never satisfy.
A government check does not make up for a lost job. Americans
do not want more of this. Americans believe in hard work and
self-sufficiency, not standing in line for government hand-outs.
We are supposed to be living in a land of opportunity, but
opportunities fade fast if more tax and spend policies are
enacted. The more Congress meddles in the economy, the bigger
the problems get.
Congress should not increase taxes by $3.5 trillion and the
administration needs to end the occupation of Iraq with its
costs of $3.5 trillion to taxpayers. Let the hardworking American
taxpayers keep their money. Families need that $46,000 far
more than government does.
Read more Articles by Ron Paul at http://www.house.gov/paul/legis.shtml
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