Unsurprisingly, Yet Another Rant.

Ok.



The Democrats have been trying to pass a minimum-wage increase for ages and ages. Literally, since before Reagan was in office. They've always failed, because good sense prevailed.



However, the Republicans are at least TRYING to play "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" by offering a piece of legislation that cuts - it does not eliminate, but merely reduces - the estate tax, while simultaneously INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE by $2.10 an hour, in three steps of $0.70 apiece over the next four years.



The Democrats are so dead-set against decreasing the estate tax that they are gladly willing to sacrifice the first offer the Republicans have made on minimum wage in 25 years.



Now, some of you may be wondering, "what is the estate tax, anyway? And why do they keep saying it only benefits the rich?"



Well, I'll tell you.



First, the "it only benefits the rich" thing is only true if you don't understand economics.  The estate tax is a tax on material and financial assets left as an inheritance upon the taxpayer's demise. The rate is ridiculously high, but it only affects people who are leaving a fairly substantial legacy - your dad's old Chevy and collection of fishing magazines isn't gonna get gaffled.



So, it only benefits the rich to lower the estate tax, unless you happen to be one of the millions and millions of people who work for those rich folks, in which case it benefits you as well. And there's the flaw in the Democrats' whole approach.



In an attempt to extend and continue an immoral tax - more on that later - they are screwing the very people they purport to be trying to help, YET AGAIN, by voting down the very measure about which they have been making so much noise just recently - the minimum wage.



Way to think clearly, there, lefties.



Here's the "more" I promised:



The estate tax is immoral on a level not shared by other taxes. All taxation is inherently immoral anyway - it is organized extortion performed upon the citizens by the government. Sadly, there isn't any other realistic way to pay for things. But: childless people, and stores, paying school tax is a perfect example of why it's extortion. Anyone or anything NOT HAVING CHILDREN is inherently incapable of deriving value from the result of that taxation, which means that the argument that the government is using that "contribution" from the citizen to provide them services falls apart.



However, the estate tax is far worse than that.

See, all through your life, you pay taxes constantly, even if you're not aware of it.



When you go to Wal-Mart to buy anything, you pay exorbitant taxes.



Here's how:



You're there for a crock-pot. A crock-pot is made of clay, steel, copper, rubber, plastic, glass, and maybe some aluminum.



Copper, iron, and aluminum are mined; oil is drilled, clay is dug, glass is made from sand, and rubber is harvested. The workers who do these things pay income taxes out of their wages. The cost of those wages becomes the cost of the product.



Copper is smelted; iron is made into steel, aluminum is melted and formed, oil is refined to make plastics, clay is shaped and fired, glass is melted and formed, and rubber is vulcanized. The workers who do these things pay income taxes out of their wages. The cost of those wages are added to the cost of the product, as is a markup so the company that does these things can make a profit.



Copper is formed into wires and plugs, and the heating coil. Steel is cast into the casing, along with some aluminum; plastics are used to manufacture insulation, light covers, and dials. The shaped clay vessel is glazed and made ready to be a cooking surface. The glass is polished into a lid. The workers who do these things pay income taxes out of their wages. The cost of those wages are added to the cost of the product, as is a markup so the company that does these things can make a profit.



Wires, plugs, and heating coil are added to the casing; the cooking vessel is added, the lights, dials, and rubber feet are added, the lid is clapped on, and the whole shebang is stuck in a box. The workers who do these things pay income taxes out of their wages. The cost of those wages are added to the cost of the product, as is a markup so the company that does these things can make a profit.



The product is shipped / trucked / airfreighted / whatever to Wal-Mart.The workers who do these things pay income taxes out of their wages.The cost of those wages are added to the cost of the product, as is a markup so the company that does these things can make a profit.



Wal-Mart stocks it; maintains it; and checks you out when you choose it. The workers who do these things pay income taxes out of their wages.The cost of those wages are added to the cost of the product, as is a markup so Wal-Mart can make a profit.



In most cases, the state adds a sales tax - at every step in the chain of events from the ground to the store.



In every case, every single penny of that accrued cost comes out of your pocket.



This is true of EVERY SINGLE THING YOU BUY, EVER.



YOU have a job. (Well, more than likely you do.) You pay income taxes, in addition to all the accrued tax burden of each and every thing you buy during your lifetime.



Then, when you die, what you have left after all these taxes is your estate - which is taxed YET AGAIN.

This is abusive taxation in its worst form, and causes the afore-mentioned rich people to dance a friggin jig trying to get out of paying it in any way they can.



That jig takes money, liquidity, and free capital out of the market, often permanently.



The estate tax hurts the economy. Period. It is that simple. And the Democrats are so married to it, they are willing to give every single one of their constituents the finger over minimum wages to keep it.



Very in touch with your constituency, there, guys. Good on ya.