Wages of War: No one can predict the long-term consequences of the Iraq War, but we note that only last summer did the U.S. stop collecting a 3 percent tax on long-distance telephone calls that was begun in 1898 to help pay for the Spanish-American War--a war that only lasted several months.
Christian Century, January 9, 2007
Let that one sink in for a minute.
Did you know you were paying a 3% tax on your long distance phone calls from the day you were born until the end of 2006 to pay for the SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR?
I don't really know what to say about that.
It feels so good to finally pay off those debts, doesn't it? Looks like we're all going to need to pick up a few extra hours. For the next 2 thousand years or so.
5 comments:
I remember when California raised the state sales tax by 0.25% to help pay for the 1989 SF earthquake. As far as I know, that tax never went away.
When I was a kid, CA sales tax was 6%. Now, I believe it is 7.75%.
My point is, if we were paying for the four month long Spanish-American war until late last year, how long will we be paying for a similarly optional war in Iraq which has lasted four years and cost billions and billions of dollars?
I saw your point. The answer is never. How this country could've used the half a trillion dollars, or whatever it is...
cheers to that
I read that too. Amazing how the government actually expected everyone to contribute to pay for a war. Simply unacceptable. I stop at red lights, that's my contribution!
Oh, and I leave pennies in the take/leave a penny tray at the store.
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