My reply to "Boycott Exxon/Mobil" (Inheritance tax)

[Virginian]

My uncle, a solid Dem in the red part of Virginia sent me this Email.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2563394

We have previously had discussions on politics where he has taken a less liberal side than I have. One of these was the "Death Tax." Because of the obscene profits by petroleum company executives, I think I was finally able to make my point.

It won't really help. It will only hurt the individual gas station owner. Exxon/Mobile doesn't just sell gas like Dupont doesn't just sell Teflon. They are diversified, which shields them from any boycott.

We need to pressure our elected officials to do something about the price gouging that is happening right now. The petroleum companies are seeing record breaking profits. This profiteering will soon cause other economic problems.

Food will become more expensive as the cost to harvest and transport it grows.
As money is diverted to pay for essential transportation costs, people will not buy other items and retail businesses will be hurt.
People will cut back on vacations and entertainment, those industries will suffer.
The restaurants will have fewer customers as it takes gas to get there and there will be less disposable income for the extras.

The richest people we know are mere paupers compared to the executives of the oil industry. These fat cats are only getting richer and their taxes are at a minimum so that April 15 is only another day. It would take the Annual income of several of us to even make up their income for a day. Is it no wonder that they want the inheritance taxes eliminated so that they can pass these riches down to their heirs for generations.
This is not money that they have worked hard to earn, this is money acquired by a new age of robber barons. With the elimination of taxes on dividends, their great-great-grandchildren will never have to work a day in their lives, but will have the same benefits as taxpayers. They will still have fire protection and police protection and public parks and even though they might not use them, public schools. The same armed services that fight to protect taxpayers will fight to protect them.

I think this is as good example as I can think of why we still need an inheritance tax on estates worth over a certain threshold. I consider dividends to be income and think they should be taxed also.

[Sparkman]

1. We ALL owe our good fortune to those who went before, Slaves & Original

Americans (Indians) who gave up their lives and lands for the wealth & liberties that we demand. We must also remember those in other countries that died and suffered so that U.S. mulitnational chemical, agricultural and weapons industries could acquire their profits and their products.
BUT having acknowledged the true SOURCE of the U.S. wealth, those of us that work harder for a relatively smaller share of the U.S. pot might still do well to remember that our working poor suffer, even if it's less suffering than African and South American poor.
Some limit on the maximum tax-free dollar amount of inheritance just seems fair. Is that communistic?

[kaygore]

2. We need to spin this as they spun it to the Death Tax.

Obscene wealth tax

Profiteering Tax

something to get the sheeple thinking...if that is even possible.

[Virginian]

3. Yes, and this is a good time.

Right after tax day.

There are two messages here. See alternate endings.

Someone should ask Paris Hilton how much she paid in taxes and get the "I don't know, I don't have to worry about that" answer on tape.
She is the poster child of the inheritance and trust fund class.

I can visualize an ad about the oil robber barons stealing from the American taxpayer at the pump.

The families of oil barons have it pretty good already, (show estate home and yacht) they will only have it better in the future. Generations of them can live just like Paris Hilton -- at the expense of the American working class. (Show Paris Hilton "I don't know about taxes" piece here).

Endings:

1. Contact your Congressman and demand an end to the price gouging at the pumps because oil companies have never seen such high profit margins as they do today and we have never paid as much for gas as we do today.

2. Tell Congress that we must all be taxed fairly. Do not repeal the inheritance tax or dividend tax. They are the only taxes some people will ever get to pay.

[kaygore]

4. This is a great idea

Why not share it with the MoveOn people?