Liberal and Loving It

The most American tax

As congress considers permanently eliminating the inheritance tax, while facing mounting deficits and additional costs due to Katrina no less, I wanted to bring up a couple of points about it.

Part of the American dream is that everyone has an equal opportunity. Not an equal end result, but an equal chance to achieve any results with your life.

Yet we do not have equal opportunity. Those who are rich have a lot more chances to be successful in life. They are better prepared, go to better schools, get guidance from parents who have professional jobs (and can afford to leave New Orleans before a hurricane hits it).

The inheritance tax slightly lessens that inequality of opportunity. It doesn't eliminate it. But generation by generation it lessens it. And that helps make equality of opportunity more true.

Second, this country produces more millionaires than any other per capita. Our system of government, our culture, our society all assist people in being successful. The vast majority of the rich would not be as rich, possibly not rich at all, in any other country.

Since our society and our government were key to the riches generated, its only fair that in return a small piece of that is returned to the government to help fund this system that enabled them to become wealthy. Yes there were taxes along the way, but one at the end for all they achieved is a fair payment for a system that was a key part of producing that wealth.

Third, a significant percentage of trust fund babies (I know a lot) don't give anything to society. They spend money on themselves but they don't create or produce or work in any meaningful way. The more productive members in society, the richer that society will be - for everyone.

Creating an inheritance tax that will return families to the ranks of those who have to work in 2 - 3 generations is of great benefit to society as a whole. Because those generations do have the wealth to get an education, start companies, or work for a company. A significant inheritance tax insures that they must do so.

Finally, in our present situation with a permanent deficit, war in Iraq that is not only costing hundreds of billions, but also the lives of thousands of citizens, and now Katrina - a tax cut for the extreemly wealthy is just sick. Even if they want to run away with they're money - they are Americans and need to do their share.

New Orleans and Iraq

First off, I want to say that the devastation in Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama is horrible. I hope that the government does everything it can as fast as it can to get help to the tens of thousands who clearly are is desperate shape.

The latest news reports put the total number of national guard and federal troops either there or on the way at over 50,000 (and they are clearly needed). Meanwhile there is widespread looting, fires being set, and even doctors are being shot at.

So here's my question. If we need 50,000 troops (and growing) to handle this situation in the United States, how on earth did Bush, Rumsfeld, etc ever think we could handle an entire country with 120,000 troops. That's barely double the number being rushed to the New Orleans area - and Iraq is a lot bigger and has a lot more people than that.

And if looting breaks out so fast here (and this is not the only time this has happened in the U.S.), how could anyone with a modicum of intelligence assume it would not have happened in Iraq.

Iraq's infrastructure was devastated, more by the first Iraq war and Saddam Hussien's neglect than the second Iraq war. But nontheless it was in terrible shape (except for the palaces). A different source of devastation - but if the electricity is out people don't so much care why, just that it's out.

The bottom line is that with the number of troops being rushed to New Orleans (one city), it is very clear that the military force is woefully undermanned, possibly by an order of magnitude. I would like to see the president answer why New Orleans needs tens of thousands of troops (which it clearly does) and yet an entire country needs maybe twice that total.