https://www.ftsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/March-April-2024-FS-Ezine.pdf
While I have many problems with the Christian Bible, there are some portions I agree with. One is Luke 12:48: “To whom much is given, much is expected.” I recognize how fortunate I am to have been born in a country and a family where I had ample opportunities to attain a decent education and standard of living. But I ask myself what we should do about those to whom much is not given, whether born in this or another country. And I’ve noticed that people opposed to helping immigrants also seem less charitably disposed toward helping some of our least fortunate American. To give but one example, Americans who want to abolish estate taxes (which only kick in above $12 million) use the misnomer “death taxes” and have a silent mantra: “To whom much is given, much more should be given.”
Passing tax-free wealth to the next generation of family members who have been financially privileged since birth is welfare for the rich. Their estates can provide more than adequate annual tax-free support to family members. The estate tax, in my opinion, should be used to help level the playing field by taxing inheritances at a higher rate. This would generate more federal revenue and could provide extra funding for programs to benefit low-income workers. As bad as things are for some of our poorest Americans they are usually worse for illegal immigrants, who live in the shadows of our bountiful American plenty. Do we expect them to suffer in place under the dreadful circumstances they are trying to escape?
While I have many problems with the Christian Bible, there are some portions I agree with. One is Luke 12:48: “To whom much is given, much is expected.” I recognize how fortunate I am to have been born in a country and a family where I had ample opportunities to attain a decent education and standard of living. But I ask myself what we should do about those to whom much is not given, whether born in this or another country. And I’ve noticed that people opposed to helping immigrants also seem less charitably disposed toward helping some of our least fortunate American. To give but one example, Americans who want to abolish estate taxes (which only kick in above $12 million) use the misnomer “death taxes” and have a silent mantra: “To whom much is given, much more should be given.”
Passing tax-free wealth to the next generation of family members who have been financially privileged since birth is welfare for the rich. Their estates can provide more than adequate annual tax-free support to family members. The estate tax, in my opinion, should be used to help level the playing field by taxing inheritances at a higher rate. This would generate more federal revenue and could provide extra funding for programs to benefit low-income workers. As bad as things are for some of our poorest Americans they are usually worse for illegal immigrants, who live in the shadows of our bountiful American plenty. Do we expect them to suffer in place under the dreadful circumstances they are trying to escape?