Republicans are styling it this way, and I've read and heard the phrase in newspapers and talk shows for at least several years now. The idea, as I see it, appears to be to not-so-subtly attack the tax as unfair (as in: What will they do next? Tax the pennies on your eyes? Shades of George Harrison!). The usage may also serve as a dig at the "tax-and-spend" party and imply, as I stated earlier, that the tax affects a far greater number of Americans than it in fact does.
You have probably always heard it referred to as the estate tax because you work in a law office. "Estate tax" is its legally correct name, and it does not surprise me that the lawyers you have worked with use it. Mary P. ----- Original Message ----- From: "kakki" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Mark or Travis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2002 9:28 PM Subject: Re: Rich Republicans, and Democrats (NJC) > Can you all tell me who is styling it this way? I swear the first I have > heard of it referred to as a "death" tax is today on the list. I have > always heard it referred to as an estate tax. > > Kakki > > > But to style it as a "death tax," when the vast majority of Americans who > > die will never, ever have to pay it, is simply, in my view, intellectually > > dishonest. > > > > Well I for one am greatly relieved to know that *most* people who die > won't > > have to pay an estate tax. My only concern is how do they get those few > > dead people to pay up?
