The President should press to “pay for the wars” by closing tax loopholes, under the idea we are now going to clean up the Republicans’
mess.  Puts a different context on getting our financial house in order.

Wars as a general rule should be explicitly legislated and supported, and a specific tax levy will make it clearer to the American people what this War policy means.  But with the wars winding down, the ongoing meaning of the levy will be lost.

However, the political purpose to clean up the past, to work with Republicans to finish the work they started, can still be used effectively.  We are currently better aligned to close loopholes, and since I believe tax loopholes and rate reform are both needed, making progress on the easier one is still progress.