There was a reason we wanted to vaccinate against Blue Dog fever
by digby
Ed Kilgore points out that until we managed to chase the Blue Dogs back into their proper Party they routinely voted for such idiotic bills as Estate Tax Repeal, thus making it very difficult for Democrats to take a hardline position on the issue. No more. There aren't very many of them left and so now only seven Dems voted for it instead of the dozens who used to:
If nothing else, this means Democrats will have no problem making this an issue of “partisan differentiation.” If you think it will become impossible for people to “succeed” in this country if they cannot pass along unlimited wealth without taxation to their heirs, you are very likely a Republican, albeit of a kind who would make Teddy Roosevelt roll over in his grave. If you think a five-million-dollar-plus exemption—plus complete non-taxation of estates where there is a surviving spouse— is probably enough to accommodate family farms and small businesses, you are probably a Democrat. It’s most definitely a difference in perception.
This is something worth running on. Sure, the Fox/Limbaugh addicts are dumb enough to think that inherited wealth for millionaires is something from which they benefit, but normal people can be educated on what this means and will understand the difference if Democrats are willing to make the case.
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