Letter: Income taxes needed to pay for wars

Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007 | 7:44 a.m.

From the Republican attacks, you would think the federal income tax was invented by Democrats to suck out money from rich Republicans' wallets. Actually, it was first imposed in 1864 during the Civil War, but was discontinued in 1872. The 16th Amendment, adopted in 1913, was the source of revenue to fight World War I.

By the mid-1960s this income tax rate ranged from 15 percent on the lowest brackets to 70 percent on the highest. Now, the income tax rate has been cut so low that the Iraq war is being fought on credit. It could be worse except for the surplus Social Security tax.

About $150 billion each year is loaned from Social Security to the general fund, but when it comes to paying it back the proposed solution is to cut retiree benefits and/or raise Social Security taxes. Some even propose getting rid of Social Security altogether, saying it's going bankrupt. So, while the rich got tax cuts, the poor are still overpaying their Social Security taxes.

If the income tax began as a way to pay for wars, why did the Republicans start a war and also cut taxes? They used to be a party that wanted to cut spending. Yet, with a Republican majority in both houses of Congress, plus a Republican president, federal spending grew nearly 50 percent, $1.86 trillion in 2001 to $2.78 trillion in the current fiscal year. Interest on the national debt will soon be the largest item in the budget.

For President Bush and all those who want to keep fighting in Iraq, put your money where your mouth is. Income taxes are needed to pay for the current wars. Either end the fighting or pony up the money to pay the bills.

Janice Herr, Las Vegas

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