>>>>>>>So, you are advocating for very high federal estate taxes that would take most of the wealth out of a family?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I'm advocating for reasonable federal estate taxes with a high enough threshold that most families wouldn't be affected. I'd also like to see the threshold indexed for inflation.
>
>Reasonable?
>Everybody's definition of reasonable is different.
>Human nature is ironclad on this point - "reasonable" is always relative to our own position.
>
>Before the Berlin Wall fell, an elderly acquaintance had elderly cousins living in Czechoslovakia.
>These people lived in a miserable little cottage.
>The local government took away their second milk cow because it was not "reasonable" for old people to have any income from selling the milk.
>
>Another acquaintance in Los Angeles had roommates in a rented apartment and drove a very tired looking old car.
>He was always advocating for "taxing the rich" for the benefit of the "community."
>Then he got a contract to supply programming talent to a big company.
>Then he married a high earning woman.
>Then he bought a luxury house and one of those ridiculous Porsche SUV things.
>Then he joined the tea party to protest against high taxes.
>His heartfelt conclusion was that he was not rich, and the taxes were not reasonable.
>
>My point? "Reasonable" is always defined relative to your own position.
>
>When I was in college, working full time, my company was pushing to get 100% participation in United Way.
>The company president, who made a lot of money, decided it would be a good thing that I donate to his charity.
>United Way has their own president who makes a lot of money managing a bureaucracy that produces no economic value.
>
>My company president wanted to feel good about being charitable with MY money.
>They sent out questionnaires asking about our volunteer work and our donations to various causes.
>Again, the company president wanted to feel good about any charities I spent time and money on.
>On the third request that I fill out the questionnaire, I told them it was none of their business.
>I was correct, but certainly not a good move politically.
>
>I have the same feeling when people advocate for taxing away somebody else's money, but not their own.
>
>No matter what you feel in your heart, as a practical matter, the estate tax you seem to agree with falls mostly on others - not yourself, not your peers.
>
>It is a free country.
>If you don't feel you are taxed enough, the US Treasury will accept donations every year with your 1040 - but you have not done that.
>If you feel that estates should be taxed the same as income, the US Treasury will accept bequests - but you have not done that.
>
>Can you explain how this is any different?
>You want to be generous with somebody else's money.

Hear! Hear I couldn't have said it better myself. Well done.