Mr. Bush, REALLY Support Our Troops -- Here's What to Do with $726 Billion

Obviously, the War in Iraq is going pretty well for us Americans right now, so sure, it is a little hard to say "I am against the War in Iraq." That said, I am against the War in Iraq. I am pleased that "President" Bush seems to have lucked into a victory against an impoverished third world country, but I don't think he should have committed forces there in the first place, given the pathetic body of "evidence" the world was shown. (BTW, show me some real evidence, and I guarantee you world opinion, as well as my own, will change.)

That said, I very much support our troops, the vast majority of whom are so poorly paid it is pathetic. How much do I support them? I'll put my money, and your money (provided you are a taxpaying U.S. citizen), where my mouth is with this next suggestion:

"President" Bush, direct the entire amount of your proposed tax cut, all $726 billion, into soldier and officer salary increases!!! Don't blow it all on rich stockholders lucky enough to own shares that pay a dividend in the hopes they will pour it back into the economy! Give it to the brave men and women defending our rights (including my right to mouth off) by risking their lives overseas. They and their families, many of whom require fucking food stamps to make ends meet, can pour it back into the economy just as well!!

"President" Bush, if your true goal is to improve the economy and not make your rich friends richer, you would do this, because no Congressman or Senator would have the balls to reduce the allotment of money aimed for our troops, and the economy would get the same benefits as with your "plan."

According to Donald Rumsfeld's 2002 Annual Report to the President and the Congress, "...In the President’s FY 2002 budget request, in addition to a base increase of 4.6 percent, an additional $1 billion was targeted to raise pay for mid-grade officers and noncommissioned officers. This year, in addition to a base increase of 4.1 percent, additional dollars have once again been proposed to better align pay for this group with the compensation offered by the private sector." (Warren's emphasis) Just $1 billion? That's pathetic!! I say increase that amount 726 times!!

I'll even go a step farther with this. Add a line on every tax return similar to the one that says "Check here to contrubute $2 to the President's re-election campaign." Instead, make it say "Check here to contribute __ dollars to the US Soldier's Salary Enhancement Fund," and let me fill in the blank. Make sure the return tells people that they will owe extra taxes for the amount they enter. For example, if I owe $500 and I contribute $10 to the fund, then I owe $510 to Uncle Sam. If I was getting back $1000 and decide to contribute $50 to the fund, then I'd only get back $950.

This way, patriotic citizens, myself included, could REALLY support the troops, whether they are sent off to fight stupid, illegal wars or not.

Note: I've concluded people don't see the "Read More" links on this page, so this SoapBox article is here in its entirety.