Political Quotes

“I would have been embarrassed to be participating in today's debate, which is nothing more than a cynical political sideshow staged by the Republican leadership in their appeal for the support of some of the most spectacularly wealthy people in the country at the expense of people who look to the federal government for help. The issue before us is straightforward. I believe, as do the majority of my colleagues, that no one should be forced to sell a family business, farm, woodlot or closely held business, simply because a family member or principal owner has died. Such sales are often economically disruptive and damaging to the family involved; certainly, they do nothing to make our communities more livable. There is a way to solve what is a very real problem faced by some contractors, farmers, woodlot and other business owners. We can defer the inheritance tax permanently, so long as the business remains in the family or closely-held partnership. I don't care how much the business is worth--if the owners don't want to sell, they shouldn't have to. We should also increase the exemptions in the inheritance tax, and adjust it for inflation, just as we did with the income tax.”