Americans for Tax Reform Statement on Death Tax Repeal

 

WASHINGTON – This morning’s USA Today story, “Opposing Groups Ready for Estate Tax Fight,” provided a “quote” of Americans for Tax Reform’s (ATR) position on the Death Tax which is both confusing and misleading. Below is a statement from ATR president Grover Norquist, on the organization’s official position regarding the Death Tax:

“For nearly 15 years, ATR has fought to repeal the immoral and onerous Death Tax. This organization’s position is and has always been to have a vote to permanently repeal the Death Tax. To suggest this organization would support a compromise is simply non-sense.

“If the vote to permanently repeal the Death Tax fails, the goal of the taxpayer movement is not to compromise and keep an immoral tax in place that will be raised at a later date. But rather, the taxpayer movement will work to change the makeup of the Senate by increasing the number of Senators who would support permanent repeal of the Death Tax to finally bury this tax for good.

“Roughly 70 percent of Americans support repealing the Death Tax for good and Senators can vote against this legislation at their own peril. Opponents of permanent Death Tax repeal have suffered major electoral losses in both 2002 and 2004 on this issue and the vote next week will be a telling vote for constituents to better understand where their elected representatives stand on such an important issue for American taxpayers.”