Political Issues Surrounding the Estate Tax

Dalton Conley (University Professor and Dean for the Social Sciences, New York University) recently published his commentary entitled Tax Revolts, Pregnancy Envy, Race, and the “Death Tax,” 63 Tax L. Rev. 261 (2009). The conclusion is below:

Thus, to think through the political issues surrounding the restoration of a significant estate tax or the reformulation of this revenue source as an inheritance tax (or other proposals such as adjusting basis upon death), we must think through the other realms of life upon which this tax touches. As discussed here, that list includes everything from paternity uncertainty to the definition of the family as distinct from the marketplace to race and the legacy of slavery. I am sure that other scholars could add to this list. The bottom line is that these issues are not “peripheral” to the debate and must be tackled head on if tax policy changes promoting opportunity and meritocracy are to be implemented.