DEBT: It's time to get serious

Politicians have been arguing for five years now about our nation’s debt. We have yet to hear Congress debate the primary cause of our nation’s debt — unfunded war. The war in Iraq has cost our nation $2.2 trillion so far and its legacy cost, the cost of caring for the tens of thousands of wounded veterans, will continue for another 50 years.

The final cost of the 12 years of war in Afghanistan is yet to be determined. It may add another trillion to the debt. Congress authorized the president to deploy these troops but they never raised the funds to pay for their deployment. They just added the cost to our national debt. If we are really serious about our nation’s debt this issue needs to be addressed. Congress should be required to raise the funds, that means the taxes to pay for our nation’s defense. Look it up, I think it’s mentioned in our constitution about Congress raising the money for the defense of the nation. If the war is truly a just and necessary cause, such as the hunt for those who destroyed the World Trade Center and killed so many Americans, the American people will gladly have their taxes raised. But if the case for military action does not even warrant a raise in our taxes why should we ask our young men and women to put their lives in jeopardy. If there is not sufficient money in the budget for a military deployment Congress should be required to raise the money within a 60-day period or withdraw the troops. As long as we allow Congress to neglect their duty to raise the taxes to pay for our national defense the budget will never be balanced.

GARY de YOUNG

Kingston