FLAIT

Published in its entirety

With their poll numbers plummeting, President Bush and the Republicans believe the best way to get their conservative base back is to hand them more tax cuts. But why should the country have to pay for their incompetent governance and irresponsible largess at a time when the country can least afford it?

With a city to rebuild, two wars to pay for, ports to secure, and an exploding budget deficit and national debt, this new $70 billion tax cut could have obviously been put to better use.

But these tax cuts are wrong for another reason. During WWII my parents and grandparents sacrificed - everything from food to fuel was rationed. But since 9/11 the only sacrifice George Bush has asked of the country is to "go shopping." He won't even ask the public to conserve energy. How pathetic.

So while the wealthy are throwing lavish parties with their wartime tax cuts, brave soldiers are risking - and losing - their lives everyday. That's obscene and a slap in the face to every man and woman in uniform.

If Republicans want to cut taxes, why not make the salary of every soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan 100% free of federal and state tax? It can be paid for by repealing all of Bush's feckless tax cuts; and there might be money left over to pay for these wars so our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren won't have to.

But since their selfish priorities are to pander to their selfish constituency - even during wartime - the GOP would never think of anything as practical and patriotic.