All the discussion around what bill to send to President Bush has missed one key item. And it is not only necessary, but it also will force the Republicans to face just how serious they are about the war.
The war needs to be paid for. We can pay now or we can pay later but the costs must be covered. And without question the responsible course, the only sustainable course, is to pay now. Every other war this country has fought has been accompanied with higher taxes.
If the Republicans are serious about fighting, then they must be willing to fund it. So here is my proposal...
The next bill sent to Bush, with or without benchmarks, with or without timelines - it includes tax increases to fully fund the bill. And this tax increase is a corporate tax surcharge (they make the profits from the war) clearly set to fully fund the "supplemental" bill.
First off, it's the right thing to do if we are going to continue funding the war. Second, it puts the Republicans in a very difficult politial position - either increase taxes or say they aren't really serious about the war.
