Political Quotes

“I especially thank him for the thoughtful substitute he has put forward because what he has done is to listen to the people who have estate tax problems and responded directly to them. Mr. Speaker, the substitute has relief for small businesses, for farmers, and for people who have worked hard to accumulate modest wealth. In other words, for those who need it. Mr. Speaker, I never thought I would hear Americans argue for heredity wealth. That, I thought, was the major difference between the Old World and the new, between Europe and America. I am bemused by the notion of a dead man paying twice. People who inherit wealth have not paid once. The children of the rich, who get the lion's share of the benefits from this bill, have not paid a dime of money they have worked for. This bill, the majority bill, turns progressive taxation, the hallmark of the Federal Tax Code, on its head. We hear about transferring wealth from the rich to the poor. The majority's bill transfers funds from the poor to the rich. The majority has tried to get away with having Americans believe that they are or could be helped by estate tax repeal. The whistle has been blown on the majority bill, thanks to some very principled rich folks who got up and told the truth about who would get the benefits and said that it should not be them but people far poorer than them. They exploded the leading myth behind this bill.”