http://www.buzzflash.com/theangryliberal/03/06/23.html

Goodbye, Death Tax. Hello, Birth Tax!

by The Angry Liberal

We've all heard republicans whine about the estate tax. According to
republicans, it isn't fair that people who are handed millions of dollars
for the grand accomplishment of being born into a rich family should have
to
forego a single penny of this unearned income via taxation. After many
tormented, sleepless nights, republicans in the House of Representatives
decided to put an end to this unspeakable crime. They drummed up support
for
its repeal by giving the estate tax a fictitious nickname, the "death tax."
Calling the estate tax the "death tax" is, of course, lying. All Americans
die for free, and less than 2% die with estates that are taxed at all. Be
this as it may, republicans decided to call this tax something really
sinister sounding because nobody would support the repeal of the "Last
Chance To Tax the Fattest of America's Fat Cats Before They Hand Over
Enormous Piles of Cash to Their Lazy, Undeserving Children" Tax. And before
you could say "campaign contribution kickback," the House of
Representatives
decided that those least deserving of a tax cut should have this unearned
income handed over tax-free.

But now that billionaire heirs are giving the tax man the finger (if the
House has its way), what do we do about the big hole in the budget that the
estate tax used to fill? Cut programs? No way. Showing Americans the real
budgetary priorities of the republican party would see it swept from
Washington faster than Governor Bush could review a Texas death penalty
case. Enter the second part of the republican tax scam: Instead of cutting
programs to pay for this ridiculous tax cut, republicans simply decided to
steal the money from the Social Security trust fund and borrow the rest to
fill the shortfall.

But won't somebody have to pay interest on this huge pile of debt that
republicans are racking up from all of this borrowing? Duh! And who do you
think will pay it back? That's right, it will be you and me, our children,
and their children. Every working American who has the misfortune to be
born
poor or middle class will enter the world owing the tax money that
republicans are refusing to collect from the "Death Tax." Ladies and
gentlemen, I give you the truly republican tax: The Birth Tax.

The Birth Tax is the interest paid on an enormous debt that republicans
will
create when they decide not to collect the estate tax anymore. According to
the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the cost to the rest of us
taxpayers for the elimination of the estate tax will be $294 billion over
the next 10 years or so. At around 5% servicing costs per year, that means
that after 10 years of borrowing money to offset the estate tax cut, those
Americans who still pay taxes will see a permanent $14.7 billion annual
increase in their tax bill. Of course, that bill will increase the next
year. And the year after that. The Birth Tax will continue to grow as long
as the government borrows money every year to offset the elimination of the
estate tax.

Here is a fun comparison of the "Death Tax" with the Birth Tax:

1. While the "Death Tax" was paid from less than 2% of the of the richest
estates, the "Birth Tax" will be paid by everybody who pays federal taxes,
including those who are so poor that they pay only Social Security taxes.

2. While the "Death Tax" was only collected after rich folks were
completely
finished with the estates (They're dead, remember?), the Birth Tax will
paid
by the living, most of whom aren't finished with their incomes.

3. While the "Death Tax" generally reduced the amount an estate would hand
to an heir (in other words, the heir's unearned income), the Birth Tax
reduces the amount of earned income a hard-working American will keep.

4. While the "Death Tax" went into the general fund to pay for things like
health care for the elderly and homeland security, the Birth Tax will buy
absolutely nothing.

5. While the "Death Tax" was paid only once, the Birth Tax will be paid
yearly and will likely increase yearly, forever.

6. While the "Death Tax" is traced back to Thomas Paine, a REAL American
patriot, the Birth Tax is given to us by pretend patriots, who proclaim
that
their love of America does not extend to funding America with their tax
money.

If the republicans in the House have their way, we employed Americans will
soon be enjoying our new Birth Tax. And we'll really enjoy knowing that
this
tax used to be paid by the very richest of estates after their former
owners
were finished with them, and that republicans decided to shift that burden
to the rest of us instead.

The moral of the story: Republicans value rich guys, even dead ones, above
all other Americans.