Repealing the Estate Tax by the Back Door

[Omaha Steve]

Full article: http://blog.aflcio.org/2006/07/30/repealing-the-estate-tax-by-the-back-door/

Repealing the Estate Tax by the Back Door

When it comes to the Bush administration and tax breaks for the wealthy and well-connected, after six years you’d think it would be safe to say “I’ve seen it all.”

Well, just when you think you’ve seen it all, something brand new pops into view.

Despite the Bush White House and Republican congressional leaders’ repeated attempts, they still haven’t completely repealed the estate tax—the tax that only applies to multimillion dollar estates.

It’s the job of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to make sure those millionaire families pay their taxes. Sharp-eyed lawyers at the IRS are the enforcers. But the Bush administration has decided there are just too many enforcers keeping tabs on the superrich estates.

As The New York Times reported:

The federal government is moving to eliminate the jobs of nearly half of the lawyers at the Internal Revenue Service who audit tax returns of some of the wealthiest Americans, specifically those who are subject to gift and estate taxes when they transfer parts of their fortunes to their children and others.

The administration plans to cut the jobs of 157 of the agency’s 345 estate tax lawyers, plus 17 support personnel.

[JHH]

1. If they really wanted to repeal the estate tax they would have years ago

they want the very rich to keep giving money to their party and if this issue where gone many very rich might jump ship

[ret5hd]

2. Exactly what issues would the uber-rich "jump ship" over...

if the estate tax was repealed?

abortion?
why? their daughters and wives are free to travel where abortion is legal.

WIC? Social Security? Pension funding crisis?
why? why? and why? these are the very programs they wish to destroy.

[JHH]

5. last time I checked George Soros(sp?) was "uber-rich"

[ret5hd]

7. But George Soros aint a republiucan!!!

His priorities are ALREADY on our side!

[fasttense]

3. Oh, to hell with it. Why don't they just pass a law to sell us all

into slavery and be done with it. All those with over a million in investment can own us. I'm just tired of carrying the freaking rich on my back and pretending like I'm living in freedom.

[iamjoy]

4. Stop Exaggerating Fasttense

I don't think any of them want to bring back chattel slavery.

serfdom, perhaps.

[ellenfl]

6. not only that but the repugs have agreed to increase the minimum wage

if the estate tax cut is included in the same bill. so if the dems vote against the minimum wage increase, the repugs can tell the lemmings that the dems do not support them. otherwise, they get their estate tax cut through.

they are beyond contempt.

ellen fl