Move to Repeal Estate Tax Breathes Its Last Breath

Today, Senate Democrats led the charge to block a repeal of the Estate Tax, which would have handed the wealthiest Americans a windfall of nearly $1 trillion over the next 10 years. The Los Angeles Times called the Republicans' failure, "the latest in a string of GOP defeats on issues dear to the party." [Los Angeles Times, 6/8/06]

"Democrats are committed to policies that benefit the American people, not the special interests,” said Democratic National Committee Press Secretary Stacie Paxton. “This bill is just one more example of Washington Republicans’ misplaced priorities and fiscal recklessness. While Republican leaders don't hesitate to invoke budget discipline to justify ending school lunches for 40,000 American schoolchildren and refuse to raise the minimum wage for the nation's lowest paid workers, they are ready and willing to squander resources giving less than one half of one percent of all families a trillion dollar tax break. Republicans in Washington should be focused on reducing their record deficits, helping our valiant troops in harm's way and creating American jobs with good wages. Together, America can do better."

GOP Budget Bill Cut 40,000 Children Eligible For School Lunches. "In an attempt to cut the federal budget by $54 billion, the Republicans are seeking $9.5 billion in cuts to Medicaid, and $8 billion in cuts for aid to the disabled, for foster care, and child support enforcement. They want to remove $844 million from the food stamps program, cutting out 300,000 needy people. Their cuts would reduce by 40,000 the number of children eligible for reduced-cost school lunches, and cut student aid." [Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania), Editorial, 11/21/05]