The estate tax -- about damn time the Dems felt some consequences

[Brian_Expat]

The Republicans are killing the estate tax, and Democrats are now shocked that gay people (over 50% according to one poll) support that move.

Why?

Well the present estate tax discriminates against gay families. Even though the tax only really impacts millionaires, gay families have to start paying huge taxes at a much lower level of wealth -- about $3 million (easily attained with a house that one has owned for 30 years or so in a high-growth area) versus over $9 million for heterosexuals.

The left really has its panties in a twist over this, since the estate tax is viewed as the ultimate progressive tax, and after refusing to fight DOMA (which prevents the government from equalizing the tax), they're now SHOCKED when gays have said "fine, you don't equalize it, don't expect us to carry a disproportionate burden."

This is exhibit one of the new scorched earth reality. For Democrats, anti-gay politics have very real consequences.

[purduejake]

1. Damn right.

The dems have problems including loosing gays to the green and socialist parties. Many of my friends here in INDIANA of all places have switched and vowed to never settle for the lesser of two evils -- we'll vote for the best candidate even if it breaks party unity. Sorry, but when a political party doesn't do anything to stop attacks against me and families, I'm gone.

[Q3JR4]

19. You think the democrats

are getting the message?


Off hand, I would say, .... no, they aren't.

[Tux]

2. Dems

Need to accept gays as people and not as a voting block.

[tjwmason]

6. That will only happen

If gays demand that Dem candidates support their agenda, and make it plain that otherwise they will support other candidates (to the extent of donating and campaigning, not just voting).

[dsc]

3. I might start worrying about this inequity

when we have ENDA and hate crimes legislation. I honestly don't feel too sorry for any gay couple who has to pay this tax. They have done very well and frankly should be paying taxes.

[Brian_Expat]

4. Why should gay couples pay at 1/3 the wealth of straight couples?

It's a disproportionate tax on gay people. If the Republicans kill it I won't shed a tear. I certainly won't fight with the Dems to keep it when they support a disproportionate tax on gay people (and only gay people) simply because they're gay.

[dsc]

5. because

We are cutting funds for AIDS drugs to pay for that tax cut. We are decimating Medicaid to pay for that tax cut. We are gutting our schools to pay for that tax cut. We are destroying every good thing the government does to pay for that tax cut. Incidently the figures here are actually wrong since the exemption was lifted to 4 million before it was eliminated. Sorry, but if my choice is to disproportionately affect a few very well off gays or let a vast number of poor gays die in the street I will choose the first.

[Brian_Expat]

7. Those are the consequences of discrimination. . .

. . . everyone loses.

[dsc]

9. that is horse hockey

Of course gays and straights should be treated equally, but if the choices here are to eliminate the estate tax or accept unequal treatment I take the latter. The estate tax is way too important a source of revenue.

[Brian_Expat]

10. I don't accept unequal treatment anymore

Democrats have demanded it too many times "for the greater good" and then turned around and screwed us.

I say "fuck the greater good" rather than us, for a change! Let the Democrats take the blame for their own failed policy.

[justin899]

12. Damn Right!

and the self-laothing idiots who are always falling all over themselves to give up on equality need to stay the hell out of the way of the rest of us otherwise they're part of the damn problem!

[dsc]

18. It may help you

but it sure won't help me. I am never going to have an estate big enough to worry about in this regard. I think most gays would be hurt by the loss of this source of revenue to the country. Probably more gays would die from lack of AIDS meds than would benefit from the repeal.

[Liberal Veteran]

8. Link please.

This is the first I have heard about this and I prefer to read information for myself rather than someone else's interpretation.

[Brian_Expat]

11. It's on the front page of the Advocate's web site

In a story about the LCR's support of this measure.

[justin899]

13. Here is an article on estate planning

that details the some of the problems with the estate tax.

http://gfn.com/finance/story.phtml?sid=8651

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

14. Jesus fucking christ..what anti-gay politics?

All of our nominees including the guy that won our nomination for president FAVORED civil unions

[Liberal Veteran]

16. Petty distractions.

In the final analysis, this issue is pretty much a non-starter and it's not like gay community is going to be out there bullying congress to repeal the tax (except for those idiot LCR people).

The issue is just not that high on the list of priorities. Let's assume that 2 percent of all gay people are affected by this (assuming that the number of gay millionaires is about the same straight millionaires).

According to the original poster only one poll showed 50% supported the appeal (that appears to be the highest number) so we are talking about 1% of the entire gay population (which is probably about 5% of the total population) that would be inclined to support the repeal of the estate tax and really, the majority of them aren't going to be rushing out to lobby their congressmen over this issue one way or another and that's going be offset by the number of non-gay democrats who do support the estate tax which by several multiples.

This particular issue is so far off the radar and so very far down the list of problems facing the gay community that it's laughable to think that anyone would waste time thinking this would be some big bone of contention to set us against people who are our political allies.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

17. Which is why I find the OP curious

LCR's are greedy fuckers. They've pretty much been a thorn in the side of the gay community for years...but at gay community centers around So California, people bite their tongues and deal with these fascists since they have money and will PULL it if GLBT centers don't take a more apolitical tack.


I remember back during the primaries, the thread starter had plenty of negative things to say about Kerry even though Kerry voted AGAINST DOMA.

Why sew such seeds of division among gay people at DU?

What's the payoff?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

15. deleted