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. The House could vote on that package later Friday, along with a final pension overhaul bill that would receive a vote in the Senate only if the chamber first passes the “trifecta” bill. The long-running, deadlocked House-Senate conference on the existing pension bill (HR 2830) would remain open as a fallback. So putting it on the extenders package of tax cuts was not enough. Now they want to throw in the minimum wage increase. Wonder if anyone thought about the irony of passing an estate tax reduction (which would give people worth more than $5 million more money) in conjunction with an increase to the minimum wage (which still stands at $5.15 per hour and has not been increased in ten years). Just to note, a minimum wage worker who works full time (40 hour weeks) would have to work for 466.76 straight years without taking a day off to make $5 million - assuming the worker did not need to spend any money at all that is. Maybe by that point Congress will wake up and realize how misplaced their priorities are.