Fox grills Repub on shameful estate tax ruse

The Republicans attempted to offset an increase in the minimum wage by tying it to a further reduction in the estate tax -- at tax paid by less than one half of one percent of Americans. This, while keeping its own salary in line with cost of living increases with a $3300 raise last month...

The video to the right shows just how much crap Republicans like Sam Brownback (R-KS) think they can sling to the American public. When Fox smacks Republican double-speak down, it's game over. Rough transcript:

---

Brownback: I THINK WHAT YOU ARE SEEING -- THE DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING, WE DON'T WANT TO GET THE MINIMUM WAGE RAISED. WE WOULD RATHER HAVE AN ELECTION ISSUE. WE DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THE ESTATE TAX ISSUE. AND WE'RE SAYING LET'S GET IT DONE.

Cavuto: THEY'RE NOT SAYING THAT.

Brownback: THEY ARE.

Cavuto: LET'S SEPARATE THIS. is there a way, SENATOR, to do BOTH? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO LINK THE TWO? WHY NOT UP OR DOWN VOTE ON THE HIKE OF THE MINIMUM WAGE AND UP OR DOWN VOTE ON CUT OF THE ESTATE TAX? WHY NOT DO BOTH OF THEM?

So resistant is the Republican congress to raising the minimum wage, they're forced to "concede" by attaching a big fat gift to wealthy donors while sticking it the nation and the nation's hard working poor?

In contrast to the one half of one percent of Americans who will pay the tax in 2006, raising the minimum wage would effect 8 million workers (not to mention their families) and it's supported by over 80% of America.

Frist, the millionaire loser with his name attached to this fiasco whined that the estate tax: "has meant that '90 percent of family businesses do not survive that third generation'".... see myth 3 below.

9 Myths about the Estate Tax