Adam wondered last week why Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) is so fanatical about passing an estate tax cut. I have to admit: I, too, am intrigued as to why after a couple of failed attempts to get that dastardly thing passed Frist keeps banging his head against the wall. This AP story, however, only intensifies the mystery. Why slash the estate tax when you can get around it by "donating" it to yourself? Frist and his wife are the sole trustees in charge of a family foundation bearing the senator's name, according to Internal Revenue Service forms.

Following up on reports that the IRS plans to eliminate almost half of its estate and gift tax audit team, Chief IRS overseer and all-around good guy Rep.

The New York Times editorial page gets it:

Looks like the GOP leadership in Congress is regrouping to try yet another strategy to pass an estate tax reduction. From CQ (sub. required). House GOP leaders have come up with a new strategy to push a permanent estate tax reduction through Congress by tying it to a minimum wage increase and extension of expiring tax breaks.