The Transport Workers Union sent this letter to all House members on June 5, 2002, urging them to vote "No" on H.R. 2143 for permanent repeal of the estate tax. The letter notes that, "In every other war in American history taxes have been raised to defray the costs of the war. During World War I wealthy Americans asked to have their taxes raised so they could participate in the war effort and do their share." June 5, 2002 Dear Representative:

Americans for a Fair Estate Tax 1742 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20009 TEL: (202) 234-8494 &nbsp FAX: (202) 234-8584 &nbsp www.fairestatetax.org June 3, 2002 Dear Representative: The House is expected to take up legislation to permanently eliminate the estate tax on Thursday, June 6. We strongly urge you to vote “No” to “The Permanent Death Repeal Act” (HR 2143). Proponents of repealing the estate tax have attempted to create numerous myths about the estate tax.

This June 3, 2002 analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities examines the many problems with permanent repeal of the estate tax, as proposed by Senators Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and Phil Gramm (R-TX) -- and provides a comparison with the relatively lower costs of sensible reform options. More CBPP analyses of the estate tax are available on the Center's website.

William H. Gates Sr. and Chuck Collins in The American Prospect, June 17, 2002 In this TAP piece, Bill Gates, Sr. and Chuck Collins, remind us that, "[Republican President Theodore] Roosevelt and others of his day understood that the American experiment was an attempt to balance economic liberty and free enterprise, on the one hand, with a traditional concern about democracy and the dangers of concentrated wealth and power, on the other. The estate tax, adopted in 1916, was one of the means by which Americans rejected the Old World, with its political and economic monarchies."