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I guess the fact that you can just call it a “death tax” can easily rally popular opposition even if people would otherwise support it. It’s my theory that the

I guess the fact that you can just call it a “death tax” can easily rally popular opposition even if people would otherwise support it. It’s my theory that the less words you can use to make an argument, the more powerful it is.

MiroF 7y ago
What would really rally popular opposition is the massive massive amounts of spending on propaganda (advertising, etc whatever you want to call it) to galvanize the American public to oppose something like this. We live in a democracy, but elites still have enough say that something like an 100% inheritance tax is effectively off the table.
- RhysU 7y ago
  A 100% inheritance tax would be a nightmare in practice. Grandma died? Cool, go sell her house now.
  - MiroF 7y ago
    Selling the house of a deceased relative seems to be a common existing ritual, no? This objection might be stronger if it were more fleshed out.
    - harimau777 7y ago
      I think the problem could arise in the case of things like heirlooms or homes that have been in the family for years. I think you might also need to write the law so that people could choose to inherit debt on the same terms as their parents. Otherwise, couldn't the bank demand a higher interest rate as a way to force someone off of their property? How does this sort of thing work currently?
      - MiroF 7y ago
        Realistically, a law like this (though it would never happen) would be something along the lines of 100% tax on inheritances over 10 million dollars. > I think you might also need to write the law so that people could choose to inherit debt on the same terms as their parents. I assumed that this was already the case. quick e: Yeah, seems like this is already law "Under federal law, lenders must allow family members to take over a mortgage when they inherit residential property" [0] https://www.thebalance.com/what-happens-to-your-mortgage-when-you-die-4158246 https://www.thebalance.com/what-happens-to-your-mortgage-whe...
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - rstupek 7y ago
    Or go sell the family farm, or family business, etc.

MiroF 7y ago

What would really rally popular opposition is the massive massive amounts of spending on propaganda (advertising, etc whatever you want to call it) to galvanize the American public to oppose something like this. We live in a democracy, but elites still have enough say that something like an 100% inheritance tax is effectively off the table.

RhysU 7y ago
A 100% inheritance tax would be a nightmare in practice. Grandma died? Cool, go sell her house now.
- MiroF 7y ago
  Selling the house of a deceased relative seems to be a common existing ritual, no? This objection might be stronger if it were more fleshed out.
  - harimau777 7y ago
    I think the problem could arise in the case of things like heirlooms or homes that have been in the family for years. I think you might also need to write the law so that people could choose to inherit debt on the same terms as their parents. Otherwise, couldn't the bank demand a higher interest rate as a way to force someone off of their property? How does this sort of thing work currently?
    - MiroF 7y ago
      Realistically, a law like this (though it would never happen) would be something along the lines of 100% tax on inheritances over 10 million dollars. > I think you might also need to write the law so that people could choose to inherit debt on the same terms as their parents. I assumed that this was already the case. quick e: Yeah, seems like this is already law "Under federal law, lenders must allow family members to take over a mortgage when they inherit residential property" [0] https://www.thebalance.com/what-happens-to-your-mortgage-when-you-die-4158246 https://www.thebalance.com/what-happens-to-your-mortgage-whe...
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- rstupek 7y ago
  Or go sell the family farm, or family business, etc.