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Originally posted by Shakka This is what I love. To a degree, Opus, I agree that now is not a good time to cut taxes given the massive amount of debt that has been created by Republicans being fiscally irresponsible as politicians always are.

I knew you'd agree with me here - that's what makes you a sane Conservative.

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However, it is worth pointing out the irony that while you too agree that this tax should never have been created in the first place, you are afraid to repeal it because of what it would do to our already unstable budget deficit. HOW ABOUT SOME FUCKING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY FROM ALL POLITICIANS!?! There is no need to make it a partisan issue. Politicians left and right will always spend everything they can and then some as it is the easiest way to buy votes and maintain power/control. What's to stop them from creating yet another "illegal" tax to bail themselves out of the pickles they create? Then for us to have the same debate down the road only to say that while the tax shouldn't exist in the first place, it certainly can't be repealed because it would be financially devastating to the government and national economy.

Hey, I can live with a little irony! More to be said below...

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As long as our elected representatives continue to be fiscally irresponsible, I will not fight the Line Item Veto as a good way to strip out worthless pork from vital bills and projects that need to be implemented. It's an uncomfortable power shift, but Congress controls the purse-strings and they are clearly inept in their ability to do so.

Largely agree with you, but let's also keep in mind who exactly is controlling those purse-strings - who is running both Houses in Congress right now? Now of course, the Dems. running both Houses at one point had their shiny bright days chock full of corruption historicallly too - which is why I'm a major advocate of checks and balances (from which there really is none today, save the filibuster).

But the problem in tackling such questions on this issue of deficit is - whom is this affecting the most? Should we really be worried about the select few out there from which the Estate Tax affects to a certain degree, or should we be more concerned about a tax which is now taking in the Middle Class more and more every year, like the Alternative Minimum Tax? Granted, cutting or reducing either one merely adds to the deficit via lost gov't revenue, but if we're going to give money back to the people in hopes to boost our economy in any way, would it not make more sense to give it back to a much greater number of people (AMT) versus a select few (Estate)? I don't see how a Conservative like yourself wouldn't agree to this.

If we're going to cut taxes - let's give the money back to those we've seen historically put money back into our economy to give it a boost - the Middle Class.

___________________
Whence September dusk grows crisper still,
with leaves all crimson conquered,
I yearn to shout,
and dance about,
and stick pickles in my honker...