Tax Guru – Ker$tetter Letter

Another Double Standard

By now, it’s well known that the supporters of the communistic estate tax in the U.S. Senate have prevailed in their efforts to keep it in place. How they accomplished this is utterly disgusting.

In 1993, when there was a bill to drastically increase taxes retroactively, the Senate vote was 50 to 50. It was passed due to Al Gore’s vote as the tie breaker.

When the recent bill to repeal the estate tax was voted on, it actually received 54 votes in favor and 44 against, with two Senators not voting. This was deemed not good enough to actually pass the law because the leader of the senate, Tom Daschole, mandated that it takes 60 votes to pass a law reducing taxes. Even a vote from Dick Cheney wouldn’t have helped. I hope this article is right, that those voting to retain the estate tax will be held accountable in November.

When it takes only 51 votes to raise taxes and 60 votes to cut them, things are clearly out of whack with our rulers in DC. If anything, it should be the other way around. As a bare minimum, the standards should be equal in both directions. This is why I have never believed any claim that a tax or fee is temporary. There is no such thing. Once is tax or fee is imposed, our masters make sure that it lasts forever.

KMK