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.
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.
ReplyDeleteWhen 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?
ReplyDeleteI saw your point. The answer is never. How this country could've used the half a trillion dollars, or whatever it is...
ReplyDeletecheers to that
ReplyDeleteI 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!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I leave pennies in the take/leave a penny tray at the store.