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Pelosi Nixes Obey's War Tax Proposal
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday all but eliminated the prospect of a "war tax" to pay for the escalation in Afghanistan, saying she opposed it. But she suggested it would be considered if President Barack Obama asked for it.
"I am not in support of the proposal of Mr. Obey," Pelosi (D-Calif.) said of the tax plan suggested by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey (D-Wis.). "When the president makes a request, we will make a decision.
"With the highest regard for Mr. Obey, that is his idea," Pelosi said. "He is speaking for himself."
White House officials have said that a war tax is not being discussed within the Obama administration.
In a 12-minute weekly press conference on Thursday, Pelosi made no mention of Afghanistan in her opening comments. She opined on Obama's plan only after reporters pressed her.
But she indicated she has taken steps to get House members more information. She said she has asked White House officials to provide a top-level briefing for the full House, including Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen.
Democratic House members are expected to discuss Obama's war plan in a closed-door caucus meeting next week.
Pelosi also reinforced the Democratic strategy of fighting off Republican criticism by lambasting then-President George W. Bush's handling of the conflict and wondering what Republicans had been doing about Afghanistan when they were in power.
"They hit and ran ... and went to Iraq," Pelosi said. "The Bush administration ran up trillions of dollars in war costs and not many Republicans asked how we were going to pay for it."
The GOP quickly responded to Pelosi's comments.
"Look, blaming President Bush will not stop the avalanche of wasteful 'stimulus' spending that isn't working, or the debt that Washington Democrats are passing to our kids and grandkids, or make our nation more secure by giving the troops the tools they need to succeed in Afghanistan," said Minority Leader John Boehner's spokesman Michael Steel.
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12 Comments so far
Show AllUS Constitution: "All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives"
Nancy, they do not originate in the White House. Don't use that as a smokescreen to disallow debate over a sensible bill that you disagree with.
"US Constitution: "All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives""
That "goddamn piece of paper" again... Such an inconvenient document. (Especially for members of congress...) lol
Obviously, the US wars are important enough to send poor people off to be maimed and killed, but not important enough to tax the rich for.
Time for little David to disObey the Pullosi-punching Goliath of the House.
why can,t grover norqist drown nancy pelosi in a bath
tub? after all she is government! where is a repuglican
when you need one?
Yet ANOTHER reason Pelosi NEEDS to be voted OUT of office. She has NO clue about what her responsibilities and obligations are as Speaker of the House. She had an OBLIGATION to investigate and impeach W, but just wrote that off like a lazy bitch. She had an obligation to get to the bottom of the torture issue and has IGNORED it. She has an OBLIGATION to put forth spending bills, NOT the president. It's HER GD JOB. It seems like every time this useless waste of human space turns around, she is kissing the asses of someone other than her constituents and the American PEOPLE.
Stupid woman! Where the hell is the money for this supposed to come from, we KNOW it won't be from YOU or YOUR FAMILY. It will be US and OURS, not the GD ultra rich who have been getting off scott free for 30 years, now. MAKE THEM PAY THEIR SHARE!!! THEY are the ones who are benefiting from any of this, it's time for them to pay up.
San Francisco, listen up. You have an opportunity to do the country a HUGE favor and get rid of this WASTE OF TIME. Put up someone with a real chance in the primaries, and KICK HER LAZY, SORRY ASS OUT!
The most significant news in The Hill's report is found between the lines. And no one on this thread has picked up on it.
Pelosi opposes Obey's plan because Obama opposes it. Obama calls the tune, and Pelosi dances to it.
Vilifying the puppet, while leaving the puppet master unmentioned and unscathed, is misleading and counter-productive.
I find it ironic that Pelosi takes the heat for complying with Obama's right-wing agenda, while Obama's name is not even mentioned. Is Obama the new Teflon president?
Pelosi supports borrowing more money from Communist Red China to support our illegal and immoral wars and occupations. Pelosi is as good as a communist herself with her support for massive interest payments to Communist Red China. Next election, vote for Pelosi, Communist, San Francisco.
Pelosi is just another example among a plethora of examples, of the fact that only the most corrupt get to participate in power in American government. The most extraordinary,deceitful,greedy and corrupt get the most power and that is one reason for these endless wars.
Max Baucus pretended he was arbitrary dictator over creating Senate
healthcare bill, Reid pretends to be dictator of the final draft,
and now Pelosi is make believe dictator over war funding.
And all notwithstanding Congress is a democracy by majority rule.
So if it waddles like a duck and quacks like a duck, then are we
not being plundered like a bunch of sitting ducks?
I just tried to call Pelosi's office to tell her I was switching my registration from Independent to Green but her voice mail box is full. I hope that means she's been getting an earful from all the people who aren't going to vote Democrat in 2010 or 2012.
She certainly won't go for the "Botax" (proposed tax on plastic surgery, botox, etc.) Taxing her personal drug of choice would put Madame Speaker into bankruptcy.