"Cheryl Isaak" wrote in message
...
snip
Funny, I swung from mostly "liberal/Democrat" to Republican as I saw the
inside working of Mass. Dems. They may say they are on the little guys
side,
but you sure as hell better not expect them to mean it.

And I don't consider myself "rich" but having settled several estates now,
I
think the estate taxes, both federal and the state, to be grossly unfair
to
any "middle class" estate. First, taxes have been paid on that
income/house/stock/bond already, and will be paid again by the legatee. To
whack 30% or more just for dying is plain wrong. A more sensible approach
would be to end more the ways to avoid taxes - tax free funds for example.

And I think it is time for the average Republican to take back our party.

Cheryl

BYW, Cheryl, what wealth bracket do you consider middle class?

It doesn't make sense to me that the wealthy amass more wealth in families
by unrestricted inheritance. You speak of the wealth in the Democratic
Party, but it's an unfortunate fact of life that money buys elections and
only the wealthy run for political office or are owned by wealthy interests.
Check on how much it cost Michael Bloomberg per vote to buy the mayorship of
New York City. Only the super-wealthy can afford to run for public office.

There is no question in my mind that the wealthy "own" the Republican Party
and manipulate the rest of their constituents with hot button issues. I know
few "average" Republicans. Most of them are doing very well financially or
are at the very least comfortable.

As far as I'm concerned, the inheritance tax helps keep wealth from being
concentrated in a few families. I could care less if any of my relatives
gets a dime from my estate when I die. Both my wife and I have set up
scholarships as part of our will, and anything that's left goes to
relatives. They all have the same option I had of working, saving, and
investing that I had. I don't think inheriting wealth is a necessity for a
fruitful life. In fact, that is how the dubyas in this world happen. He
hasn't the foggiest idea about the problems that beset "normal" people,
while he does know and react to the problems of the wealthy.

JPS