BREAKING: Despite Katrina, Frist Will Call Vote on Estate Tax Repeal

[Pirate Smile]

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.

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/09/02/katrina-estate-tax/

GOP Agenda in Action - Part II; Estate Tax To Be Voted On Tuesday
by Armando

Norquist's Worries were unfounded:

-snip-
Callous, worthless, despicable, heartless.

Nothing is beyond Republicans. Nothing.


Update <2005-9-2 16:57:48 by Armando>: Democratic Leader Harry Reid released the following statement today:

"I am surprised at the Republican leadership's insensitivity toward the events of the last week. With thousands presumed dead after Hurricane Katrina and families uprooted all along the Gulf Coast, giving tax breaks to millionaires should be the last thing on the Senate's agenda. I understand that the Senate shouldn't grind to a halt as a result of Hurricane Katrina, but there are issues that are of much greater importance both to the people directly affected by the hurricane as well as the nation as a whole than estate tax repeal.

“This shouldn't even be a choice. Families have been torn apart and homes have been washed in four states. These victims deserve the Senate's time, not the handful of millionaires repealing the Estate Tax will affect. I once again urge Senator Frist to reconsider his decision. Gulf Coast families are counting on us. They are suffering, and they have no where else to turn. We owe it to them to make their safety and survival our top priority, and we should give them nothing less. Regardless of how one feels about the estate tax, we should all be able to agree that the Senate's attention should be on the victims of this crisis.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/2/163636/0352

[phantom power]

1. Not very surprising. They believe in tax cuts right down to their bones.

[NVMojo]

2. when do these buttscrews get their karma???

[BootinUp]

5. Pretty much when they can't take it with them

or before.

buttscrews, lol.

[aquart]

3. Catkiller thinks we have short memories.

So all he really needs is lots of money from rich people.

Go ahead, Bill. I want you to.

Let's take names of all the good ol' boys who want to give away money to rich boys while the poor die on the highway.

Bring it to a vote, Catkiller. I'm looking forward to it.

[RamboLiberal]

4. Good - this should help fry some Repuke ass for '06 and '08

Maybe even the koolaid drinking Bushbots will finally see the light as they pump $70-$100 tanks of gas and face freezing their butts this winter.

And I sure the residents in NO and MS will just be thrilled that the rich won't have to pay the "death tax". Especially the ones who know real death!

[Inspired]

7. Yep, bring it on

keep making stupid decisions, please keep it up. I couldn't be more hopeful.

[orpupilofnature57]

8. I'm still reeling from 2004, what was the ? % thinking? Self a tion

[Pirate Smile]

9. The contrast should be amazing. NO will still be hell on earth. There

will still be survivors in the city to be rescued (IMO), the chaos, the dead, etc.

[Mr Rabble]

19. My thoughts EXACTLY. nt

[blondeatlast]

6. I love my country but I fucking totally despise the party that runs it.

Fuck you, Bill Frist, and fuck your rich white masters.

[wurzel]

10. I wonder if they will still dare to call it the "death tax"?

What an irony that would be?

[blondeatlast]

16. You can bet that Heritage Foundation interns are working their pretty

white heads into a frazzle trying to come up with an alternative.

[OneTwentyoNine]

11. Ahh,what the hell,its ONLY a TRILLION over ten years....

Yup,why should the unbelievable,incredible,filthy rich pay that tax when ordinary hard working middle class can make it up?

[cornfedyank]

12. this is the one to check them on.

100 percent elimination of the estate tax is un american.

anybody that don't feel that way has a mind that is just too beautiful.

[rodeodance]

15. and as a Kat. downpayment we went into the deficiet 10.5 B. more today.

[blondeatlast]

13. This will be the '06 election, count on it.

Pay very careful attention to every "yes" vote and throw the bastards to the rats.

I'm a proud yellow-dog Democrat, but any Dem that votes yes is on my list.

[zbdent]

14. "Nothing is more important in this time of crisis than

repealing any 'death tax' people making $100 million have to pay!"

I can just hear it . . .

[CityDem]

17. Frist is carrying water for AWOL

The repubs are trying to choke the federal government by eliminating all sources of funds. Pretty soon their won't be sufficient funds to respond to a national emergency -- like a massive hurricane.

[katsy]

18. oooooh puh-leeese!

Don't you know that 4 days of having to watch the (ugh) pooooor people of NOLA on teevee that these MULTI-millionaires' minds were bothered?

They need relief!

:sarcasm:

[Pirate Smile]

20. I will be shocked if they actually go through with this but they have

shocked me on a regular basis for the past 5 years.