GOP Rep: Ranchers Plan To Die Sooner To Avoid Estate Taxes. Oh, Boo Hoo.

[meegbear]

At Least They Still Have Estates!

Have you ever noticed that while Republicans believe that millionaires deserve to keep every last penny to pass onto their children, they never mention the ordinary people who are forced to drain their estates in order to go into a nursing home under Medicaid? Why, you'd almost think they believe the wealthy have more of a right to hand their money off to their children than working people!

CHEYENNE -- U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis says some of her Wyoming constituents are so worried about the reinstatement of federal estate taxes that they plan to discontinue dialysis and other life-extending medical treatments so they can die before Dec. 31.

Lummis, a Republican who holds her state's lone seat in the House, declined to name any of the people who have made the comments.

But she said many ranchers and farmers in the state would rather pass along their businesses -- "their life's work" -- to their children and grandchildren than see the federal government take a large chunk.

"If you have spent your whole life building a ranch, and you wanted to pass your estate on to your children, and you were 88 years old and on dialysis, and the only thing that was keeping you alive was that dialysis, you might make that same decision," Lummis told reporters.

While it's true that some people are such control freaks that they might make decisions on that basis, what's the big deal? So given their druthers, they don't want the government to take their money. So?

<snip>

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/gop-congresswoman-ranchers-plan-die-s

[pgodbold]

1. My heart breaks for grandpa and his private duty nurse. nt

[Bitwit1234]

25. Yeah....wonder what Cheney with all that taxpayer money via Halliburton

will do. With as much taxpayer money in stock return from Halliburton he is floating in it. And will have to pay millions, wish there was someway he would go bankrupt.

[bullwinkle428]

2. Alan Grayson was RIGHT!!!

"Republicans want you to die quickly", anyone?

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[Chulanowa]

3. And?

Frankly I'd rather be dead than on dialysis!

[Frustratedlady]

4. Money is truly their god.

If I were in dire straits, money would be one of the last things I'd be thinking of.

[Ozymanithrax]

5. So if you are rich you can choose to die...but if you are poor...

the call you a Kevorkian.

[City Lights]

6. So the "death panels" they ranted about are self-inflicted then, eh?

:eyes:

Whatever.

[Lucian]

7. Boo. Fucking. Hoo.

I have no pity for those people. :puke:

[donco6]

8. Why didn't we think of this years ago?

What were we thinking?

[malaise]

9. I hope they take the war criminal of a Dick

with them. Bubye!! Good riddance!

[gratuitous]

10. Oh, the pathos! Oh, the humanity!

Oh, the sorrow and grief, such that Ms. Lummis can't quite bring herself to actually, you know, NAME anyone she's talking about. But there are "many," rest assured. And they're all widows or widowers who don't have a surviving spouse to whom they can pass their $100 million estate to. "Many," goddammit!

By the way, Ms. Lummis, who's bright idea was this in the first place? Isn't this the result of legislation passed by the Republicans so they could ram their ruinous tax cut legislation through Congress on a {gasp!} reconciliation vote? Or did those details slip your mind while you were looking for a suitable fainting couch to lie back upon whilst clutching your pearls?

[Kolesar]

13. well said...eom

[Historic NY]

11. Hey the healthcare bill will pay doctors for their end-of-life counseling,...

:crazy: 12/31/10 is coming fast

[csziggy]

12. Too bad they didn't have the sense to consult with estate planners and lawyers

Who could have advised them on how to gift major portions of their businesses to their heirs before their death!

For rich people there are all kinds of mechanisms to avoid estate taxes - they can gift over $10,000 per year without tax consequences (it was that amount a number of years ago and I know it has gone up since). There is also a provision for a one time larger gift intended for just this purpose, to pass along family businesses.

If the estate is so large that those provisions would not make a dent in them, well tough! They have so much money that there will be sufficient amounts left over for their heirs.

If the people are such control freaks they refused to turn over assets to their heirs before their deaths, then I have even less sympathy for them and their heirs.

[JuniperLea]

16. Exactly right...

If their ranches aren't already held in a family trust, they are piss poor Republicans!

[NC_Nurse]

14. I'm sure that's just RAMPANT. Lots of people choose to go off of dialysis anyway.

It's their life and their choice. Don't tell us this is going to kill a bunch of old folks becaus that is complete bullshit.

We may see a few families decide to help grandpa make the crossing more quickly. That would be a bigger problem, IMO. But that would also be their choice and hopefully that won't be many folks either.

Sad how some people are all about money, isn't it?

[hayu_lol]

15. Keep in mind that Montana, Wyoming, and maybe Idaho...

have more multi-millionaires per capita than all the other states. These are not working stiffs nor are they family farmers.

Cheney is one such example in Wyoming.

Those who freely choose the 'death' option will not be missed...except at the next election.

[JuniperLea]

19. Off topic, but...

I find it very interesting that people can choose not to go through dialysis, knowing they will die soon from the decision. Legal suicide is an option for some. I have a cousin who made that decision. She ate all her favorite foods, things she hadn't been able to eat for years... her family gathered... everyone said their good-byes... and she died. Oddest thing I'd ever witnessed outside a movie theater.

[JVS]

17. Call me when they push for physician assisted suicide.

[Jumping John]

18. That just shows the length the Rethugs will go to avoid paying their taxes. n/t

[damntexdem]

20. Hey, it's a plan.

They should go right ahead.

;-)

[soupkitchen]

21. That's Rich

[Justitia]

22. Bullshit. And as the mother of a former dialysis patient, that is fucking offensive. -eom

[PA Democrat]

23. Anyone who would kill themselves or help someone kill themselves

over higher taxes has a much bigger problem than paying taxes.

[TwilightGardener]

24. Aww, people who own shitloads of land are unhappy about taxes...

Sorry, I tried to feel bad, it's just not there.

[WinkyDink]

26. Not. A. Chance.

[Canuckistanian]

27. I call Bullshit

There's no way any wealthy Wyoming "rancher" is going to kill himself protesting high taxes - without calling Fox News first.

[Golden Raisin]

28. Don't let the coffin cover

hit you in the ass on the way out.

[Golden Raisin]

29. Don't let the coffin cover

hit you in the ass on the way out.

[Scurrilous]

30. LOL

What a joke.