Nerve Endings Firing Away

In 2010, the estate tax is finally abolished, but only for one year. Because the original legislation was effective only for 10 years, starting in 2011 the estate tax goes back to exactly where it was in 2001. The exemption will be reduced to $1 million and the maximum tax rate goes back up to 55%.

I wonder if there are any rich people being kept on life support so that their deaths won’t occur until 2010, just so their heirs can save a few dollars in estate taxes. It will be even more interesting a year from now to see if there are any premature deaths among such people, assuming that the law remains unchanged.

[Source: Republican Rigidity - Forbes.com]. Wouldn’t this be an interesting test bed for your pro-life position? Millions in tax savings on one hand and sanctity of life on the other? Can we take bets on which side these people will choose? Although it talks about inheritance tax legislation, the column focuses on Republican rigidity and how it is stifling the legislative process in America. Democrats, by nature, are always open to negotiation and concessions but ratcheting up unrealistic demands are keep even genuinely useful conservative ideas away from American people.