For the third time in four years the House of Representatives passed a bill last week to permanently repeal the estate tax. The irresponsible and dangerous bill (H.R. 8) will cost $290 billion over the next 10 years but hidden within it are astronomically higher costs after the first decade. The House passed H.R. 8, sponsored by Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-MO), by a vote of 272-162, with 42 Democrats and all but one Republican supporting the bill. The tally showed little change from the last House vote on estate tax repeal. In 2003, a bill passed 264-163, with 41 Democrats supporting it.

In 1992, the Colorado legislature passed a constitutional amendment locking in restrictive budget and tax provisions. This amendment, known as the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), has resulted in a structural cycle of drastic disinvestment in public services across the state. This result is not unique to Colorado and if TABOR amendments are adopted in other states -- as could happen in 18 states across the country -- the effect would no doubt be similar.

President Bush has recently increased his efforts to sell the American public on his plan to privatize Social Security despite continuing evidence that more and more Americans are rejecting his proposals. Yet even while launching a “60 cities in 60 days” tour, the president and other administration officials have been carefully maneuvering to allow whatever reform is adopted to be seen as a victory for the administration.