U.S. Embassy Report on Iraq -- Not So Upbeat

[Xiahou]

And that's the essence of the problem. Tax cuts in the middle of wartime are insane. Funding a war entirely on debt when it is not strictly necessary to do so is insane. I believe this fiscal nonsense was propogated for purely political reasons, i.e., we don't want to upset the voters by asking them to actually pay for the war. Let's just shove that off on future generations.

Irresponsible and infantile.

After the tax cuts, federal revenues have grown and the economy has expanded strongly. Its just foolish to think that raising taxes would automatically result in more federal revenue. The problem has been frivilous spending, not lower taxes.

The War Bonds images were meant to be humorous, Xiahou. Sorry I failed so thoroughly at making a joke that you took me at face value.

No, the mistake was mine for expecting a serious answer from you.

the primary reason would be to remind u.s. citizens that there is war going on. right now americans are completely unaffected by anything and everything that's going on in the middle east, and will continue to be largely indifferent so long as there are no inconveniences. military blunders and setbacks? who cares as long as i can make my sunday leisure drive! but there would definitely be a drive to win or at least reach a conclusion more effectively if people had to "suffer" the term, too.
the american people are not for this war (iraq) but nor are they against it either; not as totally as they could or should be. right now the iraq war is nothing more than a television hobby for americans. imagine if gas had been rationed at the onset of the iraq invasion: do you think the current prevailaing attitude three years later would be identical to the lackadaisical rhetoric (from all sides) we have today?

So why ration gasoline? Why not just have everyone line up for lashings every Sunday- Im sure that'd remind them.

Honestly, rationing gasoline for no reason? That's ridiculous.