From: James Adams 

> Most small business owners don't have unrealized capital gains of any
> substantial amount, save and except for the value of the family business
> that is intended to be passed on to the kids not sold.

Why does this always get back to the small business owner?  The exemption
for the estate tax is presently $1,000,000, rising to
$10,000,000.  That's one hell of a small business.

> Stealing the money from the widow

Any amount can be passed to a spouse without falling under the estate tax. 
The widow don't lose a cent.

> Whether capital gains should be taxed at all is another question.  One that
> isn't properly answered as long as the tax rate on capital gains is above
> 0%

You missed the point here.  If I buy a stock that appreciates and I do not
sell it I don't pay any capital gains.  If I die and it passes on to my
heirs without an estate tax, no taxes are ever paid on those gains as they
inherit at the present evaluation.  Let's make it simple.  I buy the stock
at $1.00.  When I die it is at $1.50.  My heirs later sell it for $2.00. 
They only pay taxes on the $.50 it has appreciated since they have owned
it.  And at a lower rate than if it were income.

> The entire basis of the tax is the greed and avarice of the taxers.

That could be said regarding most taxes.

> In the case of
> the DEATH tax, the amount of revenue collected in total on this tax is not
> enough to even be a drop in the proverbial bucket of federal expenditures,
> it therefore has no meaningful affect on any part of society, but has a
> tremendous almost catastrophic affect upon the VICTIMS of this type of
> immoral taking.

Can you cite an example of a victim?  Just one small, family owned business
that had to sold solely because of the estate tax.  Not sold because the
business owed back withholding tax, tax liens, debts to creditors, etc.,
but solely because of the inheritance tax.

On another thought, you rant against the government as if it's some sort of
occupying power.  Although it does an imperfect job it does represent the
people.

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5