Paris Hilton tax relief
It is votes like this that make me question how Christians can so adamantly support Republicans. I support the Democratic Party, but I'm willing to say they are mistaken on abortion rights, foreign policy and other areas. However, I've never met a Christian who supports the Republicans, but claims to dislike their economic policies. The House of Representatives passed a bill permanently removing the estate tax. By a vote of 272-162, the estate tax will disappear in 2010 after being slowly phased out.So let me get this straight, if I work for my money I'm taxed. However, Paris Hilton gets to keep all her daddy's money upon his death? This estate tax repeal which, according to the Internal Revenue Service affected just over 2 percent of people who died in 2001, will cost the federal government about 1 trillion dollars a decade. Don't we have a problem with social security solvency? Don't we have a war in Iraq and Afghanistan to pay for? Don't we have a HUGE budgetary deficit to pay back? Before we give Paris Hilton her daddy's money, should we consider using the estates of the super rich to help out the coutnry that created a way for them to be so rich?
I recognize that the Bible is pretty thin on principles for running a capitalistic economy and a large democratic government, but shouldn't we recognize the absolute injustice of taxing all wages, but leaving heirs to 10+ million fortunes without a tax liability? Republicans have been pushing a flat tax that would only tax wages and phase out all other forms of taxation. That isn't fair. Isn't a worker worth his wages? If you get rich in America it is because of your own sweat, but also because the American government has provided you a solid police department to keep you safe, it has provided you a basic infrastructure to transport your goods/services, it has provided you with a consistent source of energy, it has the rule of law to enforce contractrual arrangements and has probably used some sort of law enforcement to make sure copyrights and intellectual property rights were enforced. The rich, like any American, benefit from our wonderful country and they should pay their dues, like an American.
posted by Expat Teacher @ 11:57 AM
