作为美国梦的一部分，我们都希望过上充实而富有成果的生活。当生命结束时，我们将物质财富传递给我们所爱的人。但是对于成千上万的美国人来说，他们的大部分储蓄都被联邦政府通过遗产税没收了。遗产税有时被不同的党派势力称为“死亡税”，它要求继承人在联邦税收中放弃他们的部分遗产。它适用于财产、设备、储蓄和退休账户。对于最富有的美国人的继承人来说，税单可能相当于他们净遗产的一半以上。但它也伤害了家庭企业和农民。在周五的IDS大会上，美国众议员约翰·霍斯特勒(第八共和党)呼吁比尔·克林顿总统签署一项共和党发起的法案，废除税收。克林顿已承诺否决该法案。\服装是不幸的。 The estate tax bill, which will phase out the tax over 10 years at a cost of $10 billion, has passed the House and Senate with significant Democratic support. \nThat Democratic support includes many minority congressmen, who have argued that it sometimes takes several generations for black and Hispanic businesses to build wealth, which the tax undercuts.\nAnd while it's politically easy to attack the rich, this particular tax can have some unfortunate side effects. Hostetler cited statistics that show one-third of small business owners will have to sell some part of their firms to pay off the taxes.\nFamilies can have some protection from Uncle Sam under the current system. Many married couples enlist lawyers and accountants to set up schemes that can shield up to $675,000. But when it comes to family farms ' some with hundreds of acres of property ' that number isn't even close to protecting their legacy. \nDemocrats have proposed raising exemptions and reducing tax rates, but that method won't protect everyone. It encourages those who will manipulate the system with lawyers and accountants and places the larger burden on less tax-savvy Americans. The only way to ensure the next generation doesn't lose the family business is by eliminating the estate tax altogether. \nWith today's incredible budget surpluses, it seems an appropriate time to end something so inherently unfair to small businesses, family farmers and minorities. \nIt's time to put an end to the estate tax ' and let some American families rest in peace.
