If W and Dick get their way this country will see the formation of an untaxed priveledged class based solely on who your parents were. First off the inheritance tax. The Republicans use the term "death tax" to vilify taxes on estates. Dead people cannot do anything but decompose. They cannot pay taxes. The ones being taxed are the heirs who did zero to accumulate the wealth they are recieving. Under Bush all heirs will be free from any taxation. Meanwhile work for $8.00/hr pay 15% payroll tax, 2 1/2% Medicare taxes 4-6% local taxes, add income taxes, sales taxes, gasoline taxes, etc. and pay an effective rate 0f over 30%. Now here's the kicker. Bush/Cheney et al would also exempt dividend and capital gains taxes. So... an heir to a billion dollar fortune could make a conservative return of 4%, $40 million dollars a year and pay not one dime of taxes. Of course their chefs, chaufers, maids, pilots and countless other servents will continue to pay a larger portion of there income towards federal taxes to protect their benefactors wealth.
The amazing thing is all the stupid middle to lower income people especially from the south who continue to vote for this pair of corporate lackies. So call me a liberal if you will, actually I'm more of a libertarian, but unless my income climbs into seven figures I find nothing appealing in the Republican Party. I will vote for Kerry with the complete knowledge he isn't much better but at least the current tax cuts (which are more of a tax deferral because the large deficits they created will have to be paid by my chidren) for the highest incomes will be eliminated relieving my kids of the burden of subsidizing the people who now control an unprecedented proportion of the assets in the USA. I don't buy the arguement that the top 10% pay 80% of the taxes as being a reason for chnging my view since they own 90% of the assets at 80% they are taxed 10% too low.
Now a pre-emptive reply to all those inclined to berate me or call me names in true Republican fashion. I earn 6 figures, have a degree, drive a new 2004$37,000 Dodge Hemi Durango SUV, my wife stays at home with the kids and I own a large home with accumulating equity. There are many Republicans who I admire, John McCain, Pat Buchannon, Arlen Spector to name a few and Democrats who are way too liberal for me. I bust my ass for everything I have and pay nearly 40% a year in cumulative taxes. It pisses me off that there is a potential for generations of tennis playing rich kids who will nevere have to work much less pay taxes. It just isn't right!