[durootrium]

Because we tax GIVING money already, that's why (yes, if your friend Bill Gates handed you $500m, that would be heavily taxed). I disagree with that too. If I want to give Snoopy a half a million, I should be able to do that without the state grabbing it.

There's no sound reason why estates should be allowed at all - it doesn't benefit the economy significantly to allow any sort of inheritance. BAM. As I already said the bulk of estates tend to be illiquid assets, which are already earning a considerable amount of money as investments. This is essentially a tax which discourages sound financial planning, and encourages wasteful spending.

Inheritance concentrates wealth (which is bad for the economy), and an estate tax is a highly effective 'progressive' tax. Wealth concentration is essential for the efficient operation of capital. It takes significant money to do most anything of significance these days, and disbursing that money has the effect of lowering investment income, which could otherwise be taxed.

Further, it is a tax that 'hurts' far less significantly, economically speaking, in that an income tax takes away earned money that you need to live on a day to day; Most businesses operate on some means of investments. The death tax just means that these businesses are likely to fold up shop rather then carry on from generation to generation, which puts people who work at these businesses out of a job, for no other reason then the fact that the person who started the business passed on.

a capital gains tax discourages investment (in that it lowers the benefit from investing); True, but a gains tax does not touch the principle.

sales tax not only hurts the poor by making it harder to buy their basic goods, but also discourages spending locally, thus hurting the economy; Sales taxes hurt the rich far more because they have more to spend. The poor would actually benefit the most from a sales tax, because they consume less, and what they take home would not be touched.

Personally, any tax which lets me take home more, and only pay whenever I buy something is much, much better then a tax which takes away stuff before I even get to see it.

while an estate tax just takes money you didn't have before (and generally don't need). It destroys businesses, which puts people out of work.

All taxes are 'unfair', in that they take money you rightfully have and give it to the common good; that argument is nonsensical. I think only taxing consumption is the best way to go.

Estate taxes are less unfair than others, generally speaking, and make a lot of sense. When you die, you should provide for the common good Sorry, I don't see it that way. When I pass on, I should hope to have given all my money away to the people who gave a **** about me when I was here. Why should I give my money to the government?

I'd be happy to (and certainly don't intend to leave much to my children), and so should you Why shouldn't I give all I have to my children and ensure that nothing goes to the government?

The above tax I describe would have to have all sorts of loopholes fixed, of course, including trust loopholes and gift loopholes, but that's up to congress to do. Err, well, yeah... I think it's a stupid tax honestly. Tax consumption, it's the easiest and fairest way to go.