The writer of Ecclesiastes did not have tax law in mind when he said that there is a time to live and a time to die. However, because Congress did not act to extend the current federal estate tax law, the tax expires on December 31. The federal estate tax is scheduled to resurface in 2011 at a rate of 55% on estates valued at $1 million or higher.
Gruber's words remind me of a Byrds song --Turn, Turn, Turn -- which has words that are adapted from the book of Ecclesiasties:
Congress's inaction in 2009 allows us to listen to this song with new appreciation. Here are the openning verses of the song (with emphasis added by me):
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven
s
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
This song should be our theme song in 2010 for the following reasons:
- Recent articles on the federal estate tax center on the two phrases I emphasized.
- The song does not have the phrase "a time to act" -- words that Congress failed to grasp.
On November 25, 2009, I blogged about a comment by Sen. Grassley: "I don't think Democrats . . . want to go home and . . . not have any estate tax next year." I suppose December 31, 2009 is the perfect "time to laugh."
If you feel that this is "a time to weep," I hope my recent posts might cause you to "turn":
Congratulation, Such a nice video,i really enjoying video,really want to admire the singer, and a great costumes, Awesome work, Thanks for share this.
Posted by: College Term Paper | 03/08/2010 at 11:39 PM