Will the Senate agree to repeal the Estate Tax on Tuesday?

[katinmn]

If they do, there should be a general strike.
I bet Frist is hoping that people are so concerned about the rescue efforts that he will slip this one by the American people.

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/09/02/katrina-estate-tax/
Despite Katrina, Frist Will Call Vote on Estate Tax Repeal

Senate Finance Committee members were informed this morning that Sen. Bill Frist will move forward with a vote to permanently repeal the estate tax next week, likely on Tuesday, ThinkProgress has learned.

One stands in awe of Sen. Frist’s timing. Permanently repealing the estate tax would be a major blow to the nation’s charities. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has “found that the estate tax encourages wealthy individuals to donate considerably more to charity, since estate tax liability is reduced through donations made both during life and at death.” If there were no estate tax in 2000, for example, “charitable donations would have been between $13 billion to $25 billion lower than they actually were.”

As they did after 9/11 and during the lead-up to the Iraq war, conservatives have placed tax cuts for the most wealthy and well-off over the spirit of shared national sacrifice. What a stark contrast to the outpouring of generosity being shown by the American people in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

[Kenroy]

1. Part of me says

they wouldn't DARE even try...

but then after everything I've seen...

[Wetzelbill]

3. because you are a normal person who thinks fairly and feels shame...

these fuckers have no shame whatsoever. I wouldn't be surprised at all.

[wli]

2. Very probably. Probably a party-line vote, too.

If not, we know anyone who crossed party lines to the rethug side is a rethug operative.

[Wetzelbill]

4. you got that right

dead on.

[jpgray]

5. 3% of dead persons in 2002 qualified for the tax

But everybody believes they'll be three percenters one day.

[kansasblue]

6. this will say a lot about the future of the country...about Bush's control

[katinmn]

7. I agree. If they pass this -- at this time -- they are no longer Americans

IMO, that is.

Any senator that votes for this is a traitor.

[tridim]

8. They should be repealing Bush's tax cut for the super rich

Instead they'll give them another massive tax cut. A few hours later Bush will again appeal for the middle class to send "cayshhh" to help the "refugees".

[laugle]

9. Since when do they care about charities?

They sure showed their charity in NOLA...........

[Laelth]

10. You can bet your bottom dollar that this bill will pass ...

... and that 3% at the top of the food chain is secretly thankful for all the misery caused by Katrina because the media is focused on the disaster down South. It's a perfect time for the richest amoung us to pick the pocket of the national government. The hurricane makes it more likely that the tax will get repealed.

-Laelth

[Vinca]

11. It would be obscene for it to pass.

I wouldn't be surprised if they tabled it for happier times. They do, after all, want to win in 2006.

[gemlake]

12. Who in the media would challenge them?

Of course it will pass. Americans will rejoice that they no longer have a "death tax," and no one will bother explaining to them that they never paid it.