Soldier tax relief bill a boon for special interests

The idea is simple -- provide tax relief for soldiers heading out for combat. The intent is great -- I don't think soldiers should pay any taxes at all. Ever.

But this bill adds only meager tax credits for our servicemen, and has instead become ladden with GOP-sponsored special interest tax breaks for 16 different industries, including tacklebox makers (conviniently located in Speaker Hastert's district), bow and arrow manufacturers and overseas gamblers.

[T]he top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, which drafted the bill, accused Republicans of limiting tax deductions for military reservists' travel expenses in order to pay for other tax breaks. Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., criticized capping the reservists' travel deduction at $500, instead of giving an unlimited deduction, as the Senate did in its version of the bill. ''Never before have I seen members of Congress rush to put special interests before the interests of our men and women in uniform,'' Rangel said.

So whose interests do the Republicans have most in mind? Those soldiers that are being sent to possible death thanks to Bush's petty grudge against Saddam, or the GOP's corporate sponsors?

Posted March 06, 2003 06:58 AM | Comments (36)