WASHINGTON,D.C. May 12…Challenging all Americans to “put their money where their mouths are,” Leah Schildkraut kicked off her Presidential campaign calling for an immediate and retroactive 10% tax surcharge to fund the war in iraq.
Schildkraut, who is running on the Anarcho-Feminist ticket told a press conference on the grounds of the Walter Reed Army Hospital that “this war is the only one in American history that has not been financed by emergency short-term tax increases.”
She accused President Bush of dividing the country into military people who fought and died and civilians who who went shopping.
” Don’t buy that video game,” she urged. “You don’t need a new gas grill. Make the ultimate sacrifice. and pay a few hundred dollars more in taxes so we can rebuild the hospitals and equip our troops.”
With the dilapidated, insect-ridden, fire-prone wards of Walter Reed in the background, a handful of wounded soldiers in wheelchairs listened as Schildkraut evoked President Franklin Roosevelt, who declared in 1942: “When so many Americans are contributing their energies and even their lives I am confident that all Americans will be proud to contribute their utmost in taxes.” She reminded her audience that ” during World War Two Americans went without meat, coffee, sugar, butter, gasoline and other necessities to aid the war effort.” She asked: “Would they do that today?”
“No…” the soldiers shouted in response.
Schildkraut praised President Lyndon Johnson for his courage in passing “a deeply unpopular 10% tax surcharge to fund the deeply unpopular Vietnam War.” Her voice rising, she asked: “Who among the candidates running today has the courage to raise taxes to support the war and provide adequate care and benefits for our military?”
“Schildkraut,” the soldiers shouted.
Two Humvees sped up and screeched to a halt. A squad of MP’s got out and surrounded Schildkraut, while another squad ordered the soldiers to turn their wheelchairs around and go back to their quarters.
“You’re trespassing on government property,” a lieutenant said to Ms. Schildkraut. “I’ll have to ask you to leave immediately.”
“I’m not going,” Ms. Schildkraut said. She lay down in front of a Humvee. “You’ll have to arrest me.”
As the wounded soldiers wheeled back over the parched, untended lawn one of them raised his prosthetic arm
“Schildkraut for President!” he shouted.
After a brief conversation with his superiors the MP lieutenant decided not to arrest Ms. Schildkraut. He got in his Humvee and drove away, leaving Ms. Schildkraut lying in the mud. She looked into the cloudless sky, the cry of “Schildkraut for President” ringing in her ears.
“I’m starting a grassroots movement,” she said
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