That's right, these bastards want to suck even more money out of the Treasury and direct it to their already-wealthy pals. That means (I know how much you hate this) that you have to pick up a phone and call your elected representatives, or go to their websites and send an email:
On Tax Day, April 15, House Republicans will vote to repeal the federal estate tax. We’re hoping you can inform your readers about this outrageous tax giveaway to the wealthiest 0.2%. (Yes, zero point two percent – an individual’s estate has to be worth at least $5.4 million before it pays a cent in estate taxes, and $10.9 million for a couple’s estate).
The estate tax is an important check on the growing concentration of wealth in America, and generates needed revenues from those most able to pay. That makes its repeal such a perfect example of Republicans further stacking the deck in favor of the wealthy, and increasing economic inequality – they want a $269 billion tax giveaway for the rich, while average Americans work harder than ever to make ends meet.
The vote will occur on the day when most people have taxes on their minds. It also comes just a few weeks after House Republicans approved a budget that would slash $5 trillion of spending over the next 10 years mostly for services and benefits for working families, pushing millions of Americans deeper into poverty (without raising a dime of new revenue from the wealthy and corporations).
Republicans are voting to further rig the system in favor of the wealthy. The rest of us pay our fair share, but Republicans want tax breaks for rich heirs on money they didn’t even earn. That message needs to be heard.
Americans for Tax Fairness drafted a memo that includes a link to a state-by-state list of how few people pay the estate tax, a comparison of conservative falsehoods vs. documented facts, and examples of tax tradeoffs showing how this tax giveaway could instead be used to benefit all Americans.
