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the billionaires want to pay estate taxes, I say, let them.
Make estate taxes optional.
In the interests of morality, however, President Bush is correct
to say that for the government to confiscate more than a third of
a citizen's goods is wrong, unjust, unfair, and thoroughly immoral.
But a stricter, fairer measure would be one-fifth. A government
that takes 20 percent ought to feel it's verging on injustice. An
America that allows a government to seize more than 20 percent,
except in temporary cases of emergency, is betraying its duties
of decency. Morally, it is our duty as citizens to prevent government
from seizing overbearing taxes.
For, in addition to taxes, Jews and Christians have a moral duty
to tithe. Ten percent is often taken to be reasonable (if a little
low); many set their responsibility at 15 or 20. Even set at 10,
tithing, together with taxes (at 20), takes a citizen to Bush's
30 percent.
Still, the fact that 200 billionaires, many of whom have already
set up foundations, trusts, insurance plans, and other elaborate
devices to protect their wealth for generations, actually want
to share whatever is left with the government casts doubt not merely
on their moral seriousness, but on their native intelligence.
Why on earth would they believe that government can spend 55 percent
of their estates more intelligently, wisely, and
| “Estate
taxes bring the government little, but earn for the government
the ignominious status of being an enemy of the people.” |
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beneficially
than they could themselves? They ought to recognize a propensity
for incompetence when they see one. Why, when they were so careful
earning this money, would they become so careless in spending it?
That's their scarlet sin against their own intelligence.
Their scarlet sin against morality is twofold. First, they are entitled
to their own opinion; they are not entitled to impose it on others.
If they want to state their own preference, why not at least make
estate taxes optional for others? If they want estate taxes for
themselves, fine. If Microsoft's Bill Gates III doesn't trust his
father, Bill Gates, Sr., the signer of the public manifesto in question,
to spend his estate more wisely than the government — made
up of people like Bill Clinton, Richard Gephardt, and Tom Daschle
— then let him give 55 percent to the government. Don't impose
this policy on holders of much smaller estates, who have other dreams
for what they have earned. It's a scarlet sin to step on other people's
dreams.
The second side of this sin has already been hinted at. The billionaires
who signed that ad have already spent plenty of their assets on
their own homes, families, activities, foundations, trusts, public
initiatives, and charities. Why can't they give a little more thought
to the estate owners who haven't had that chance?
Millions of humble Americans who own farms and small businesses
today must look ahead to estate taxes — about two percent of
all owners who die every year. Many look ahead with dread and anxiety.
For many of these citizens are cash-poor, and haven't really had
the chance to do all the things they worked very hard to do.
They have invested all their extra earnings. Their assets
are tied up in retirement plans, IRAs, businesses, land, and equipment.
Now when the fruits of their investments are ripe — and before
they or their children can begin to enjoy them — the government
stands ready, immorally, to clutch as much as 55 percent of all
the fruits. It isn't fair. It isn't just. It isn't right.
Here's what it comes down to. If the billionaires can blare their
views in public, the rest of us can at least whisper ours —
and send them in on postcards to Tom Daschle, a.k.a. Mr. Envy in
the Senate.
First off, get rid of the estate tax altogether. Immoral
and wrong, it's a heavy government foot stamping out the people's
dreams. The estate tax as it is brings the government a pittance,
and only then by targeting a tiny percentage of the people, as if
in a fever of envy and greed. It hovers over the entire population,
breeding anxiety and dread, and forcing successful people to waste
exorbitant sums of money, and even more exorbitant amounts of time,
trying to find ways to protect themselves, their fortunes, and their
honor from the rapaciousness of their own left-wing politicians.
Estate taxes bring the government little, but earn for the government
the ignominious status of being an enemy of the people. Dread of
government weighs down not only estate owners, but also their families,
relatives, and friends. The whole country comes to feel shame for
their government's simple lack of proportion, sense, and fairness.
Second, if we can't entirely rid ourselves of this gargantuan
beast — and put a stake through its heart — let us at
least eliminate it entirely for all those with estates under, say,
10 million dollars. Above that level, let us cap its maximum
amount at 20 percent, and make it optional. Just for those
billionaires who insist on paying it.
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