The Democrats just do not respect life.  I am not referring to their president-elect's extreme positions on abortion, or 'reproductive freedom'.  What I am referring to is the Democrats' intention to let the 2001 Bush Tax Cuts expire come 2011.  This essentially provides financial incentives for people to die faster.  While I admit this tactic does shore up support among the coveted population control enthusiasts, it is an otherwise hideous employment of activist government.

 

Given the results of the 2008 elections, it looks like this is one promise of 'change' the Democrats may be able to deliver on.  By allowing the 2001 Tax Cuts to expire, the inheritance tax resets to it's 2001 level of taxation after 2010 (values greater than $1 million are taxable at a rate up to 55 percent).  The way the law stands today, the amount of taxable inheritance has dropped, and will continue to drop, through 2009; culminating in zero amount taxable in the year 2010 (therefore, the optimal year to die is 2010).  Thus, the Democrats are providing an incentive for the elderly to kick the bucket before 1 Jan 2011.

 

We all know the fairness of the Democrats' intentions to tax wealth that someone else is trying to keep in the family.  After all, economic justice has no sympathy for those who have worked hard and taken on risks and sacrifices throughout their lives to earn their wealth.  We all now know that a seeming majority of voters accepts the fact that we have an obligation to 'spread the wealth'.  I can certainly see the logic in attempting to balance the scales of cosmic justice.  However, blatantly encouraging people to die by a predetermined date sets a new precedent for the Democrtat Party's disrespect for life.