Click here for the new Anchor Rising & Ocean State Current page
December 9, 2008
Conclusion First, Analysis Second
It appears that Kate Brewster is fully back from hiatus, offering the Rhode Island College Poverty Institute response to every new suggestion for changing the state's oppressive and ill-considered tax structure. Her conclusions all translate into the principle of "take more from them, and give it to my preferred group":
The Poverty Institute, a think tank at the Rhode Island College School of Social Work, last week called for the [death] tax to be preserved.Kate Brewster, executive director of institute, said in a statement that the tax "is the most fair tax that we have and must be preserved to maintain a balanced tax structure that requires those with the greatest ability to contribute their share towards public services and infrastructure."
A report issued last week by the Washington, D.C.-based liberal Citizens for Tax Justice, showed that comparatively few Rhode Islanders wind up paying the tax. The figures do not take into account those who escape the state's tax by using planning techniques or by moving to other states.
It's nice of Brewster to make it so nakedly clear that, in the progressive lexicon, "fairness" means little more than taking money from wealthy people — regardless of the event being taxed. Not so nice is the habitual refusal to consider how our government might be creating incentive for taxpayers to leave.
It's difficult to maintain civic optimism when the parasites of public funds offer reminders that they'll keep on sucking out that blood, even as the organism of state becomes anemic and dies.
About Community Crier
About Engaged Citizen
The latest "progressive" idiocy-raise the cigarette tax for the 10% of the state's smokers stupid enough (want to guess which party's straight ticket they vote?) to have not yet figured out that they can buy their smokes from the Indians online for 1/3 the price the Smith Hill Crime Family charges.
Posted by: Mike at December 9, 2008 7:12 PMJustin,
Your phrase, “as the organism of state becomes anemic and dies,” sounds very Marxist; very close to “the state will wither away and die”. Are you a Marxist coming out of the closet?
It is also possible to say that if we tax earnings from work, it would seem only fair that we also tax transfers of large fortunes to those who do not need to work because of the enormous wealth of their families. You probably don’t realize or don't care that your conclusions all translate into the principle of "Leave more for the rich and cut help for the poor." Thereby providing more to your preferred group.
Everybody has a preferred group, dummy. It's just a matter of which group you prefer. We'll chalk you up to the "Let'em eat cake" toadies.
Posted by: OldTimeLefty at December 9, 2008 8:12 PMOldTimeLefty
OTL,
Beyond the immorality of the state taking property from people who earned it, just because ...
The reality is that the only people who end up paying the estate tax are the farmers and small business owners and the like who aren't savvy enough or rich enough to hire big buck estate attorneys to hide the money in trusts.
If the real rich really paid the estate tax, then Patrick Kennedy would not be able to have not worked an f-ing day in his life thanks to his GRANDFATHER's fortune.
Posted by: Tom W at December 9, 2008 8:19 PMOTL-not being a rich guy,I can say this sincerely-tax has already been paid on the money in estates-why double tax it?So people like Kate Brewster can tell us where to spend it?
Posted by: joe bernstein at December 9, 2008 9:35 PMThe point about that useless turd Kennedy was great.
The estate tax ruins small businesses so Brewster's "clients" can get handouts.There comes a point when someone who has never even ATTEMPTED to be productive needs to be told to fend for themselves.
This doesn't include children,the retarded and the severely disabled who deserve help.
People who have been productive and are laid off should get unemployment insurance-but you,OTL know exactly who I am talking about-people who never even considered taking a job when they were there to be had.
Who cares? If the tax is kept, it won't matter because virtually everyone who is concerned about the death tax already declares residency somewhere else.
And I doubt that ending the death tax would result in anyone moving back to RI. Even if there were no death tax, you're still stuck with exorbitant income taxes, sales taxes, etc.
Posted by: Anthony at December 9, 2008 9:49 PM