Reply #14: "Grateful Heirs Tax" (Bill Gates Sr.)

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

Proponents of full repeal have dubbed the estate tax the death tax to scare Americans. But local philanthropist Bill Gates Sr. prefers to call it a grateful heirs tax, one the wealthiest among us should be happy to give back to society in recognition of the public infrastructure, education and technology that made their families' success possible.

The estate tax is among the most progressive forms of taxation we have. It does not squeeze the rich or punish the successful, but as even Andrew Carnegie and Theodore Roosevelt said, it asks only that the wealthiest among us pay their fair share. A repeal of the estate tax would only increase the deficit and leave a larger burden on our children and grandchildren. That is bad policy and it goes against Washingtonians' values.

Senators must choose between the interests and welfare of 99.7 percent of Americans or a tiny group of the superwealthy. Our praise goes to Cantwell and Murray for continuing to see through the web of fear and deception and voting to preserve the estate tax.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/272816_estatetax06.html