BREAKING: Despite Katrina, Frist Will Call Vote on Estate Tax Repeal
BREAKING: Despite Katrina, Frist Will Call Vote on Estate Tax Repeal
Senate Finance Committee members were informed this morning that Sen. Bill Frist will move forward with a vote to permanently repeal the estate tax next week, likely on Tuesday, ThinkProgress has learned.
One stands in awe of Sen. Frist’s timing. Permanently repealing the estate tax would be a major blow to the nation’s charities. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has “found that the estate tax encourages wealthy individuals to donate considerably more to charity, since estate tax liability is reduced through donations made both during life and at death.” If there were no estate tax in 2000, for example, “charitable donations would have been between $13 billion to $25 billion lower than they actually were.”
As they did after 9/11 and during the lead-up to the Iraq war, conservatives have placed tax cuts for the most wealthy and well-off over the spirit of shared national sacrifice. What a stark contrast to the outpouring of generosity being shown by the American people in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
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Are you kidding me. I just read a scathing NewsWeek piece on the lack of response and the writer stated that there was no way they would try and repeal the estate tax now. I guess she underestimated how low these people are.
They probably want to get it passed before Bush is impeached.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:33 pmCorporations and the Super-rich before National Security and the American citizens.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:34 pmIf after this total fiasco someone does not move articles of impeachment, they all need to be run out of DC.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:34 pmSo basically the Republican leadership is more concerned about Paris Hilton being able to afford a new Fendi bag for her Chihuahua then people in New Orleans who have been stranded without food and water for 5 days. Or how about the thousand of troops who don’t have body armor in Iraq…Why am I not all that surprised.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:38 pmhttp://www.veteransforpeace.org/impeachment/petition2.htm
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:39 pmIts called Facism…….
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:40 pm“That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
- Declaration of Independence
It’s time.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:41 pmIs culpability possible in a one party government? This should be the primary question in America at this moment. It is not a series of distinct questions of individual responsibility, but a larger encircling question of holding a political party responsible for ineffective governance. Ultimately, it is the responsibility if not duty, of each citizen to answer the encircling question of ineffective governance. But holding a one party government culpable is the duty of an independent press.
Since an independent press is central to answering the primary question of culpability, why has it not done so? When one political party controls every branch of government it is the duty of the press to adopt a decisive approach to those who govern. Every decision should be subjected to critical scrutiny. This is the minimum requirement to guarantee the rights of all Americans and ensure that abuse of power is exposed. So, with even the question of culpability unasked, the minimum requirement of critical scrutiny is not met. Therefore, do we have an independent press?
Free from the authority, control, or domination of somebody or something else, especially not controlled by another state or organization and able to self-govern. This is the definition of Independence. Does the press meet the standard of this definition? Is the modern press free from the authority, control, or domination of somebody or something else? Well, most of the modern American media are owned partially or completely by larger publicly traded corporations. Now publicly traded corporations are responsible ONLY to stockholders, so the modern media by definition is not independent.
So, the primary question of culpability will not be asked by, let alone answered by, an independent press. Then by logical deduction, we answer the primary question. Culpability is NOT possible in a one party government.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:44 pmLOL!!! Majority power people! AND watch how many Democrats cross over to help our cause.
Citizen - take your meds and STFU!
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:52 pmRight ZED
“Majority power people! AND watch how many Democrats cross over to help our cause.”
Everyone smells your rot fish, now go bleed out in your closet.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:56 pmDon’t even think about responding to northeast demented
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:57 pmThey know they are about to lose all poltical capital - might as well ram through as much self-serving legislation as possible.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:59 pmU.S. Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla) has urged President Bush to fire Michael Brown as undersecretary of the Homeland Security Department in charge of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Wexler cited reports in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that FEMA under Brown’s management inappropriately gave away $30 million in disaster relief funds to people in the Miami, Florida, area even though they were not affected by Hurricane Frances, which made landfall more than 100 miles away”.
Read more…
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:01 pmBill “AIDS travels through sweat and tears” - “I diagnosed Schiavo was not in a PVS by watching a video” FRIST knows he can’t even win the Repub primary in 2008. So he’s trying to get into the good side of as many future bosses before he’s GONE.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:05 pmTell me that is a joke.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:06 pmWill he tack it onto the Katrina relief funds? When I think the skunks can stoop no lower, they turn into snakes.
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:08 pmIt’s now time to enact steps toward impeachment. This plan by Frist is incredible.
Marie
I hope they push this bill hard. The American people smell the rot of this government. When they see another give away to the privileged class it will hasten the demise of the republican party.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:12 pmIn the face of impending billions of dollars, the answer is always: TAX CUTS. I guess that’s the most reliable tool in the Republican toolbox. When the shits going down, the constituents always like to hear how you’re going to save them money. Awesome!
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:18 pmHey Neddy, if Frist pushes through his estate tax cut, are you going to cash in?
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:21 pmHave you seen this? This is the company that FEMA outsourced their hurricane response to. They’re trying to cover their tracks now.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:23 pmHaven’t heard from the Hollywood elite, George Soros or Teresa H Kerry. It’s been 5 days. Waiting.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:26 pmDon’t worry. We can afford to repeal the estate tax. We’ll just cut back on a few more infrastructure projects.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:26 pmAh Crammy, remember how much fun you had insulting hollywood movie stars last november? Doesn’t help you much now, does it?
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:27 pmFrist is a one-termer.
He has his priorities and clearly they have nothing to do with Hurricane Katrina and everything to do with protecting his fortune.
Frist is a pig.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:32 pmAs President Bush and the GOP seek to end estate levies in America, the levees in New Orleans crumbled and a city was destroyed on their watch.
For the sad story, see:
“New Orleans Pays the Death Tax.”
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:34 pmDennis Let’s-bulldoze-New Orleans” Hastert was against funding for hurricane victims before he was against it.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/5146.html
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:35 pmBush’s Katrina numbers are tanking… HELLLLP!
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of President Bush’s response to Hurricane Katrina?
9/2 9/1 8/31
Approve 40 46 48
Disapprove 53 44 39
http://www.surveyusa.com/ client/ PollReport.aspx?g=4fb93579-161f-4c4b-9c3e-d76b4730a85f
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:39 pmCitizen80203,
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:42 pmThey won’t have to push the bill hard. They will pass it while the rest of the nation is looking to the Gulf Coast and trying to help. They are busy worrying about making more money.
I don’t think the “shiny object” distraction will work on this one. Like I said, Americans are smelling the rot right now and are looking very critically at this one party government.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:44 pmWhat’s that rotted fish I see on the shores of our formerly great America? Why, it looks like the GOP (Greedy Old Parasite) body politic. In it’s belly is the contents of the pilfered treasury.
Impeach Bush. NOW! And take Frist, Hassert, DeLay, and the others with him.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:46 pmSenate Democrats need to lead and the only way to do it is force the Republicans into action. Rally the American people to hold these idiots to account.
Until this mess is fixed, and these idiots are held accountable nothing gets through. For example.
No John Roberts hearings. Instead hearings into FEMA incompentance. Hold hearings for DHS mismannagement before John Roberts.
No hearings of any sort until there is accountability and action. NOTHING!
No legislation on any matter that does not bring help to the gulf or accountability to the people on what happened.
No Estate Tax repeal. Repeal the give aways to the energy companies and the energy and highway pork.
Repeal of the bankruptcy bill, repeal of tax cuts for the rich.
It is time to reach across the isle with baseball bats to forge working alliances with moderates and shame them into working with us.
The Senate can do this. Reid is the person to lead it, but every Democrat and Moderate Republican should be on the team.
It is time for a political shift, and one won’t occur if it is business as ususal. It’s time for business UNUSUAL.
Take Action!
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:51 pmEXCELLENT POINT VMCKIMMEY!
But do our leaders (& caucus for that matter) have the balls?
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:57 pmCheck out the Grover graphic at KOS
http://www.dailykos.com/
F**k’in classic, needs to really be bounced in the blogs!
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:01 pm#20 Raised
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:01 pmJEEZUS, this is what they do best — they farm out everything and spread the profits to their network of friends. Well, I suppose when you are in totally over your head, like all Bush appointees, including him, this is your only alternative.
I am at a loss for words to describe these wanton and shameless fools.
#33 - this cartoon is priceless:
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:08 pmhttp://images.dailykos.com/ images/ user/ 3/ 1125538263_0386.gif
Creamy Goodness,
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:10 pmA) the people you name are not the Federal Government that butt heads like you hired to take care of our country and B) if they are doing something, it isn’t just for PR like Bush and his pals. They would just do it without the fanfare. What an ass you are!
I can’t wait to live in a society that taxes Paris Hilton less that firefighters and police officers.
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:39 pm#37 - but will tax breaks for the already rich lead to higher quality porn? In Paris’ case the answer must might be yes.
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:44 pmSee, the trolls don’t like it here when we ignore them.
September 2nd, 2005 at 5:37 pmAttention: Charley Brown: This is Lucy. I PROMISE I won’t take the football away.
September 2nd, 2005 at 5:42 pmNo one in the world who is viewing the Apocalypse of New Orleans on their televisions cannot be anything other than appalled at the lack of caring and compassion their Military Leaders have shown towards their most defenseless of citizens, even to starving babies. Unlike when these Americans were attacked on September 11, 2001, and supported in mass their Military Leaders, the events of this week have shown to these Americans what the rest of the World has always known as to the vast differences and cultural divide that exists in their country.
So concerned have the Canadians become about the Military Leaders of the United States that they are now appealing for protection from Russia, and as we can read as reported by the RIA Novosti News Service in their article titled “Canada wants to strengthen cooperation with Russia - Canadian defense minister” and which says, “Canada wants to strengthen cooperation with Russia, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Graham said Thursday in an interview with RIA Novosti. During the interview, Graham discussed bilateral cooperation between Canada and Russia, security, terrorism, and nuclear proliferation.”
Not being told to the America people is how tense the relationship has become between their country and Canada, and as we can read as reported Vivele Canada News Service in their article titled “Canada-U.S. trade dispute intensifies with war of words” and which says, “Canada and the United States have launched an all-out war of words in the softwood lumber dispute, with at least one cabinet minister denouncing the U.S. as a “bully” and “hypocritical,” and the U.S. ambassador accusing Canadians of “emotional tirades.” This new frontier in the battle over the softwood lumber trade was provoked by an interview that David Wilkins, the new U.S. ambassador to Canada, gave to the Ottawa Citizen’s editorial board on Thursday.
September 2nd, 2005 at 5:44 pmNED is a paid professional detractor. When you respond to detractors, they WIN! Because you have been DETRACTED.
Just let the professional trolls crawl back under their little rocks.
September 2nd, 2005 at 5:45 pm[…] Yesterday RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman sent out an email urging recipients to call their Senators and request repeal of the estate tax. Business groups, particularly the National Federation of Independent Businesses, and conservative groups, like the American Conservative Union and Rightmarch.org, have recently increased their evangelizing against the tax. Nico Pitney reports that Senator Frist intends to put estate tax repeal at the top of the agenda when Congress returns from recess next week, despite Senator Reid’s letter requesting time to address Katrina. [For an analysis of the politics of repeal, see here]. […]
September 2nd, 2005 at 5:51 pmHell is too good a place for Frist and the rest of the Bushcovites…Is there no way right now to get rid of this whole pack of these lowest of the low lifes in our midst. Three more years of this crap is more than anyone should have to endure.
September 2nd, 2005 at 6:00 pm#42,,,BINGO!….right on!. along with others,so the keyword is ‘IGNOR’…..they lose bigtime…no $check$ for the rightwing exstreamists. Yep, they get paid to do this. No matter what you type, they will never agree. “Sad is the man/woman who will not learn”…Abe Lincoln,
September 2nd, 2005 at 6:09 pmCitizen80203
Terrytheturtle
cynical ex-hippie
Jesus Christ God of WAR
marblex
Please stop responding to the trolls. All they do is take what is a perfectly valid arguement and derail it. This is how they work. They change the subjeact and call people names. I know I have responded to these jerks in the past, but no more. There are far more serious things going on in the world than us dealing with these low lifes any longer.
NED, Alexxa, Blue State Red, and the rest are jerks that don’t deserve our time.
September 2nd, 2005 at 6:21 pmStuff You Should Read
Screw the victims, screw the charities, tax cuts for millionares get priority!
September 2nd, 2005 at 6:55 pmI am more than disgusted by the sheer Greed of the GOP. Frist, Delay, the Executive Branch and all the Congress and Senate. How dare they continue to ask for tax breaks that will assist themselves and the corporate CEO’s. I believe that Dick Cheney, George Bush, Bill Frist, Bill Gates and Parris Hilton should indeed pay their share of taxes and that includes the estate tax when they or their families inherit millions.
It is outrageous to allow this corporate led GOP to continue to mutilate the working citizens of this nation. Values they do NOT have. They speak of values but in truth its all hypocrisy. Its time for a change in all directions
September 2nd, 2005 at 6:58 pm#31 vmckimmy has a great idea — but it will take those with backbones and balls to carry it off — seen anyone like that in Congress?
September 2nd, 2005 at 7:28 pmAttention, marblex does NOT respond to trolls, but marblex does point out professional trolls when they appear.
Any mention of trolls in marblex’s posts are strictly informational.
THIS IS A RECORDING
September 2nd, 2005 at 7:41 pmADon’t you see how purposeful this all is? Florida, now New Orleans and the rest of the impoverished, black south…CLEAN SWEEP.
When the water subsides, rich white developers will happily sieze the now vacated land so they can benefit rich white people while the rest of us go to fuck in a handbasket.
Saves the trouble of Diebolding future elections.
Oh, and check out project H.A.A.R.P. a massive scalar wave antennae array in the arctic and how such waves can affect a lot of even natural events. Like, for example, theorectically one could cause a hurricane to change course. Or, one could cause a building to collapse through liquefaction, generated by a scalar wave at the right frequency. One might even be able to amplify the after-effects of an earthquake so as to trigger a tusinami of unusually large proportions.
Here’s my prediction: Detroit is next.
Look out poor America…(that’s most of us). Woe betide us all.
September 2nd, 2005 at 7:41 pmWhat better timing for the Republicans to slip a tax break thru for the wealthiest but when the country is busy trying to deal with one of the worst tragedies since Pearl Harbor and 9-11.
Frist is one, complete asshole for even thinking of it at a time like this.
September 2nd, 2005 at 7:50 pmmarblex,
I think it’s important to engage the trolls when the argument is valid and on point. That should always be our goal to keep the argument on point. I personally enjoy a good bash the troll session - but I agree that they’re ‘paid’ either monetarily or emotionally by their right wing patrons of lies. They love spreading lies and propaganda - and our only duty is to deflect those lies with the truth from real resources, real reports with real details.
One example is the lie that tax breaks are for everyone - whereas the Minimum Taxe Codes actually mean that the middle class have increased taxes under bush. Another example is that tax breaks to the rich stimulate the economy - this is a lie - and there are NO accepted economic models that have demostrated this to be true ( I have a degree in econ - and have no problems responding to the specifics for anyone that’s interested). When you decrease the ‘pressure’ on the rich, they invest less because they can. Only when you increase taxes to you increase their incentive to invest more to ‘protect’ their money. It’s basic psychology - and it’s been proven repeatedly. During the largest economic boom in history the tax rate was ~75 percent on the wealthiest americans. The first thing clinton did was raise taxes on the wealthy and there’s an economic boom. Bush lowers taxes, and the economy tanks. Nixon lowers taxes and the economy tanks. The only reason that the economy didn’t utterly tank under Reagan was the ‘credit card’ spending of the government which is a risky and unsustainable approach - in the same way it’s unsustainable for an individual.
And finally there’s the delusion that republicans are good with the economy. EVERY republican president except one has witnessed an recession during their presidency - even those that have followed another republican president! Whereas the 3 economic booms in 20th century occurred under democratic presidents. I have some great economic models, analysis, etc. I can provide for anyone that’s interested. I know the paid trolls won’t believe math - it’s too ‘complicated’ for them, but I’m sure the liberal intellects here will appreciate the information…
September 2nd, 2005 at 7:55 pmHey, Red, NED, and Ron. Where are you buddies, to help me defend the right wing take on this?
Now you liberals correct me if I’m wrong, but does that mean if it passes the Feds won’t be able to take my pickup truck and trailer home when I die like O’Really and Spamity have led me to believe?
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:00 pmIn just five short days, the Bush regime has managed to kill 1000s in New Orleans, Hitler would be proud
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:03 pmWherever the Bush regime turns its gaze, another Baghdad is created. Baghdad on the Mississippi. Dead and dying in the streets. Gas and chemical explosions. Buildings burning uncontrollably. Infants dying of thirst. Young girls raped trying to use the bathroom in the Convention Center. No food for days. Calls for help unanswered. It took 5 days to get a convoy of trucks to enter New Orleans and deliver food to the convention center.
Yesterday, Chertoff and Brown lied on the air, saying until that moment they were unaware that there were even people in the convention center.
Tonight, Bob SHieffer, a friend of the BUsh family, lies on the air, saying Bush toured New Orleans today. Bush didnt’ tour New ORleans. He didn’t come within 30 miles of New Orleans except of fly over it.
Hitler would be proud of his spawn.
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:06 pmFrist? Get a rope.
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:08 pmPresident Bush didn’t have the guts to tour New Orleans.
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:12 pmBob Shieffer is a f’king ass-licking liar.
Halliburton gets Katrina contract
http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/news/hurricane_katrina.html
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:21 pmNo wonder Cheney has been lying low - working on Halliburton contract in the bunker
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:23 pmCan we talk about 9/11 being an inside job now?
Also if you think I’m full of shit about AWM “artificial weather manipulation” check out what Richard Hoagland has to say about it. He has publicly challenged Ivan as having been manipulated and also contends that Katrina is a not-entirely-natural event. Who is Richard Hoagland?
GOOGLE IT, bitches. If this man isn’t an authority on H.D. physics, I’m the king of France.
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:33 pmGeraldo is on FOX news now crying. He’s in the convention center pleading for help. APparently they have locked the people inside the COnvention Center and they are turned back if they try to cross the bridge from New Orleans into Jefferson parish.
THey have locked the people in the convention center into new orleans.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:12 pmDoes anybody have a phone number to call - what can we do Geraldo and Steve Smith (sp?) are begging for people to call someone and let the people inside new orleans walk out over the bridge and escapte from hell.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:15 pmAfter Geraldo and this other guy Steve Smith (?) made their plea Hannity cut away from them and put on two or 3 apologists who said everything’s really fine.
Geraldo was holding a crying baby, people are desparate and they are locked into the convention center.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:16 pmIs there anybody out there who has a phone number to call about this
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:16 pmAnybody out there?
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:17 pmGeraldo - does anyone have a link to this clip> I found none on Faux Gnus.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:42 pmHe was just on Hannity and colmes, hannity was interviewing him.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:46 pmSooif I speed out to Saturn at light speed, I can see the clip. That’s above the capabilities of my Prius.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:50 pmSorry, that should be warp 2.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:52 pm[…] This morning, Senate Finance Committee members were informed that Sen. Bill Frist will move forward with a vote to permanently repeal the estate tax next week. According to ThinkProgress, “Permanently repealing the estate tax would be a major blow to the nation’s charities … since the estate tax encourages wealthy individuals to donate considerably more to charity” because estate tax liability is reduced through donations made during life and at death. This comes from the president’s party in the midst of a tragedy that requires the nation pull together by donating funds to charity. Maybe he’s not dividing the country, but I can see why one might think otherwise. […]
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:36 pm[…] The Republicans have decided that the occasion of the worst natural disaster in America’s history is less important than giving Paris Hilton eternal wealth. […]
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:34 pmThe people of Sri Lanka has pitched in to help the NO-victims and Frist and Norquist are concerned that that poor poor poor Paris Hilton will have to pay taxes for something she has done absolutely nothing to *earn* such wealth?
Disgusting, absolutely disgusting. The USA should be even more ashamed of itself when it allows that to happen. I don’t see any difference with the looting that occurred this week and I’m not referring to the looting of necessities.
September 3rd, 2005 at 9:59 amIf that happens, the Democrats should just not show up out of protest.
The Democrats should stand outside Congress and announce a new Democrat-inspired plan to help the hurricane victims. They should make a HUGE STINK about this.
NO PRESS RELEASES—Stand outside the Capital in protest: ALL OF YOU.
September 3rd, 2005 at 11:07 amFrist is a complete idiot who should be hung in the town square.
September 3rd, 2005 at 11:16 amI’m a Canadian girl and for the past couple of weeks I’ve been suffering some kind of despair as I feel the man-made and environmental changes that have been taking place in our world… some kind of world/soul pain. Over the skies of my world, chem-trailing it seems, has been multiplying like weeds.
I’m currently reading about folks like the Rockerfellers.
The American people have been hi-jacked… it seems that you are all ready to get your ride back.
I cried over New Orleans as I cried at 9-11… I was in the newsroom of a local toronto alternative weekly, everyone looked at me like I was nuts. But sometimes the truth cuts you deep, and you have to respond.
I don’t believe we have much time left… those who run things have broken the Covenant(or the social contract, as you will). They know this.
Do you know that the Hemp plant, through the oil that can be obtained from it, is a natural source of plastics, and fuels (like the kind used to run that big’ol SUV) that are environmental friendly?
Peace.
(oh yeah, about the Hemp thing, as that guy said, Google it bitch ;) ya’ll Americans are such smart asses, but we love you anyway!
Canadiangirl
September 3rd, 2005 at 11:23 am[…] Reason #… damn, I lost count again Posted by Don under Politics Think Progress » BREAKING: Despite Katrina, Frist Will Call Vote on Estate Tax Repeal […]
September 3rd, 2005 at 1:15 pmDon’t complain… DO something. Email your senators and tell them how much you deplore them even considering doing this.
Go here to get their email addresses:
http://www.senate.gov/ general/ contact_information/ senators_cfm.cfm
“Decisions are made by those that show up.”
September 3rd, 2005 at 1:38 pmThe Republicans are talking about tax cuts - next week,
September 3rd, 2005 at 2:19 pmfolks. Frist will call for the repeal of the estate tax (which is already untaxed under 3 million) and Hastert will call for the tax cuts for corporations to “stimulate” the economy.
Fox was running the “death tax” commercials today, despite the fact that there has never been a family farm lost because of the estate tax. If Paris Hilton is a millionairess because her ancestors were successful businessmen, should she not have to pay taxes on her inheritance?
They are shameless, people. Shameless.
And they call themselves Christians or Jews, whatever. They are so unkind and so uncharitable, and so thoughtless, they are less than human.
Life.
Huntsville.
No parole.
General population.
That oughta do the trick
September 3rd, 2005 at 3:29 pmThe proposed Estate Tax Repeal would significantly diminish funds to pay for many programs. Those that help children with Child Care, Head Start, Food Stamps and Health Insurance are only some. Going further into debt to pay for Iraq,Homeland Security, and needed repairs for those affected by Hurricane Katrina would be extremely poor policy.
September 3rd, 2005 at 3:47 pmThe GOP is insane.. That is the only explanation. This greed is pure evil, some kind of a ‘greed disease’. How can they be so utterly out of touch with America and its needs?
We need to be talking about *eliminating* Bush’s huge tax giveaways to the very rich.. not *expanding* them..
Have they no shame?
September 3rd, 2005 at 4:06 pmThere’s a great book, “Wealth and Our Commonwealth” by William Gates Sr. and Chuck Collins that talks about the effort to repeal the Estate Tax. I recommend others read it.
If Republicans Repeal the Estate Tax, it will be the end of their party. Then again, it will also come as a heavy cost to Democracy and the infrastructure of our Federal Government. I am convinced this is the GOP’s intention: to starve, mismanage and underfund certain governmental agencies. Those agencies which help common people and act as obstacles to Corporations. I feel they now pose a threat to Democracy as a whole judging by their actions and not their Orwelian terminology.
September 3rd, 2005 at 5:01 pm[…] LINK FIXEDRepublicans mobilize for what really matters to them in the face of disaster and death: Cutting rich people’s taxes. Senator Frist is calling for a vote on Tuesday to repeal the estate tax for the rich. […]
September 3rd, 2005 at 8:41 pm[…] Senator Frist is calling for a vote on Tuesday to repeal the estate tax for the rich. […]
September 3rd, 2005 at 8:43 pmAll I’ve read here is how you democrats want someone else’s money they worked all their life for to be redistributed to people who don’t or don’t want to work. How about this idea. You came into this world with nothing, you leave nothing when you die. The Government gets all the deads assets.
September 4th, 2005 at 6:00 amI don’t know about this policy on assassination, but if Frist thinks we are going to do it anyway, and if we have the capability, maybe we should? It would be a hell of a lot cheaper than starting a billion dollar war, and I don’t think the oil imports would stop…..
gee, I’m starting to sound like a compassionate christian spiritual tele-evangelicalist….
September 4th, 2005 at 9:38 am[…] Think Progress » BREAKING: Despite Katrina, Frist Will Call Vote on Estate Tax Repeal Published in: […]
September 5th, 2005 at 11:09 am[…] And of course, why not give rich people another tax break right in the middle of the worst natural disaster in American history. […]
September 5th, 2005 at 6:35 pm[…] Senate vote on estate tax repeal. The decision was long overdue. 7:25 pm | Comment (0) […]
September 5th, 2005 at 7:25 pm[…] Writing from the hurricane ravaged front-lines of Australia, a right-wing blogger digs up up some quotes which he offers as evidence of leftist hurricane exploitation. I know it’s “Hard Work” to search for quotes, and clearly the extremist right is making “Good Progress” — which leaves them little time to dig up evidence of their own fetid verbal vomit. So I’ll help out by finding a selection of some of the choicest hurricane commentary by Republicans and Republican collaborators. […]
September 6th, 2005 at 1:08 amThe legacy of king george, “shock and awe”!
September 6th, 2005 at 3:14 amThe estate tax you all want to save is not worth the effort. You need to get rid of it and start over. The big losers in the repeal of the estate tax are the estate planners who make big bucks making sure the truly wealthy do not pay much if anything at all. It is the people who are too dumb to plan, die unexpectedly (no plan), and who do not realize that inflation has made them “wealthy” that pay. A lot of them used to be called the middle class.
September 6th, 2005 at 11:44 amNow wait a darn minute! Perhaps Frist wants to ensure that families who lost wealthy loved can be assisted by their loved ones’ hard work and investment!
Oh, wait. It’s not my place to come up with such strained arguments to support the Republican leadership’s agenda!
September 6th, 2005 at 5:08 pmwell, nobody is seeing the real picture. That is that charitble people are just that. Wether they earn 18k a year or 18 mil a year. If you have children or grandchildren and want to leave your hard earned money to them you should be able to without them getting taxed by the government 47% plus gst if applicable. The benefactor paid his or her taxes. If They are wealthy they generally gave to charities aswell ( if they are charitable people). If Oprah, Gate, Ellison,etc didnt have the money they did, millions of people would not have the medicine, homes, aid etc that they have given from their hearts. Thes type of people teach their children to do the same. If I were to get a large inhieritance and the government was to take half, believe me I would resent that til I die and think twice about charities and let the government handle it. “THEY DO SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH OUR MONEY NOW” LOL. Guy’s like Speilberg, Max Factor even Shaq give and save lives. Their children may not have the same opportunity because the government took half of their money. yep IT’ll go to FEMA…
September 7th, 2005 at 7:46 pmSo there’s going to be a political backlash? From where? Is anyone handing out absentee ballots to the million or so people displaced since Katrina? Please tell me these folks will not be dispossessed AND disenfranchised! November’s coming.
September 12th, 2005 at 9:51 pmNot to mention the President’s support for independence-destroying treaties such as CAFTA and the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, the latter of which, should it be ratified, would lead to a Western Hemispheric version of what former head Soviet terrorist Mike Gorbechev has called “The New European Soviet (meaning the European Union).”
September 13th, 2005 at 7:31 pmI gather no one posting on this site has an estate worth over $1.5 million. :-)
Someone above wrote, “If Paris Hilton is a millionairess because her ancestors were successful businessmen, should she not have to pay taxes on her inheritance?”
Good question. As the tax law stands, she did not have to pay tax on her inheritance. The estate paid the tax.
On the other hand, if she had won the lottery, she would have to pay tax on the winnings.
This suggests a fairer solution to the whole issue would be to abolish the estate tax, and in exchange make inheritances taxable as ordinary income.
The progressive income tax is the “fairest” scheme available.
Children, young adults, and the poor, who are in lower tax brackets, would pay less tax. Those in high income brackets would pay more.
September 20th, 2005 at 3:22 pmAs for people who inherit real assets, the current method of taxation resets the basis to the fair market value on the day of the decedent’s death.
If the estate tax were dropped and inheritance taxed, the logical change would be to carry over the decedent’s basis to the inheritor.
September 20th, 2005 at 4:32 pmMy family’s small real estate business in New York City, which was started by my grandfather 50 years ago, was ended in 2001 due to estate taxes. My father’s poor health and impending death forced the sale of the business so that estate taxes could be paid. I don’t really understand a tax that is basically taxing money that has already been taxed, that has as its end point making it impossible to keep a small business within a family. Most people have no empathy because it is viewed strictly as a tax on the rich, who have tons of money to spare. When someone dies with any assets that total more than $1.5 million, the IRS swoops in like a vulture to pick apart and destroy what someone took a lifetime to build.
October 2nd, 2005 at 3:48 pmI agree that the way estate tax is collected should be revised, but according to the New Yorker, if this bill is passed to permanently eliminate the estate tax it will shift 1.5 billion a week (about the same weekly cost as the Iraq war) from the public treasury to the bank accounts of the heirs to the nation’s twenty thousand biggest fortunes.
October 3rd, 2005 at 12:31 pmHow could any fool think that this is a good thing, especially right now! Frist needs to go the way of Delay, and while we are at it we might as well impeach Bush. To think that Clinton was almost impeached for lying about sex and Bush is robbing the country blind by shifting more of the wealth (using the tax code) of the country to the rich and super rich, getting almost two thousand soldiers killed for more, and sitting watching thousands of poor people displaced and starving by Katrina….
Amazing!
This is ridiculous, the rich should be having to pay more taxes to cover for this, instead of all the middle and lower class!!!
October 5th, 2005 at 3:51 pmWe should also impeach the current president, because he sucks at being president.
October 5th, 2005 at 3:53 pmAnyone know when the Senate will take up the vote on the estate tax repeal. In view of the present situation, I would think there would be a compromise rather than a full repeal. Thanks.
October 6th, 2005 at 8:29 amThe people who rail against repeal of estate taxes probably never saw a generations old family business basically destroyed to pay the IRS. The IRS comes in at the death of the principal owner of the business, puts a market value on EVERYTHING including, but not limited to real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, farm animals, etc. and then demands its 50% share within 9 months. The only way for most family busniesses to do this is to liquidate the entire business…. my family business was destroyed…This isn’t about Paris Hilton. It’s about the Chinese manufacturing everything you use, because Amricans are driven out of business in every way our government can think of. P.S. The Chinese own a good part of our country too in their holding our bonds. Have a nice day.
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November 3rd, 2005 at 9:22 amim doing a project on all of this stuff that you people are talking about…here’s something kool…how does a bill become a law? It like does all this stuff and all these people say whether they’re kool with it or not, and if they’re all kool enough with it, then it becomes a law.
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November 3rd, 2005 at 9:27 amIm doing a report on wether or not Bush should end tax cuts…and whether or not the U.S. should fund Hurricane Katrina Relief….Could someone help me out..
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November 15th, 2005 at 5:30 pmI’m writing a research paper on repealing the estate tax. Do your own research on this topic before you leave an uneducated response like “I can’t wait to live in a society that taxes Paris Hilton less that firefighters and police officers”. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ON? This has nothing to do with Paris Hilton! Any estate worth more than $1.5 million is taxed, which includes thousands of family owned businesses or family farms that are forced to sell the estate just to pay the tax. Then, all of the employees are put out of the job because the family business/farm had to sell. Does that sound FAIR to you? Tax the rich and give to the poor, yes, thats really a FAIR system…
November 20th, 2005 at 5:59 pmHi, anyone wanna help me with my research project? email me at katie_kat_08@yahoo.com.
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January 7th, 2006 at 7:18 pm[…] I’ve heard about the photo ops taken with Coast Guard patrols that could have been out patrolling. I know about the funding cuts for levee upgrades, and about Condi Rice going shopping for shoes. I’ve read the skinny on the FEMA man fired from his last job for administrative incompetence, and I’ve heard all about how the leadership in the Senate is rip rarin’ to go at tearing down the estate tax next week as its top priority. […]
April 6th, 2006 at 9:11 pmAll the facts? Truth? “You can’t handle the truth!†How long was it after 9/11 that we finally learned that early reports of everything being A-OK were outright lies? They’re doing it again, and despite more people being suspicious and calling for proof of this as another A-OK, the path toward restoration of commercial endeavors takes precedence over the working joes who do the restoring.
November 20th, 2006 at 5:11 amEverything in this corrupt administration has a price. They have corrupted the mission of the EPA and people will suffer.