Paul Coverdell: “I appreciate the Senator citing the poll. I have known from previous data of its overwhelming support. I think the point…”

“I appreciate the Senator citing the poll. I have known from previous data of its overwhelming support. I think the point that 2-1 they favor eliminating it and 2-1 they think it probably will never affect them--as I said, I always take heart in this because it demonstrates the deep reserve of fairness among Americans about tax policy and about their Government. This is not a fair tax, nor is it implemented fairly. It discriminates against those who do not have the resources to try to ameliorate it. So it just really builds up on the small farmer, small businessperson. They are paying an unfair burden here, on top of which, I would add, it creates turmoil in the workplace. It costs us jobs. It creates enormous anxiety and puts an undue and unnatural pressure on the financial decisions those who are impacted by it have to make. You cannot manage the transaction of the sale of a business typically in 9 months; there are too many forces at work. It is very difficult to do. I have been through that, too. So you are creating a timetable that is unnatural and, therefore, you create another burden on the family in about as difficult a time as you can imagine. They have already suffered an enormous personal loss, and then here comes Uncle Sam: OK, 9 months, belly up. So I appreciate the work of the Senator from Arizona and all those others who have come to speak in favor of the elimination of the tax. I know we are going to be successful. I do not know how long it is going to take.”