IA: Ganske Joining Bush To Promote Repeal Of Estate Tax

The Des Moines Register (6/7, Norman) reports, “President Bush arrives in Des Moines today to promote the permanent repeal of the estate tax as a boon for farmers, but Democrats insist the repeal is nothing more than a sop for the super-rich. Bush will be accompanied to Iowa on Air Force One by Rep. Greg Ganske, who advocates a rollback of the tax. His Democratic opponent in this fall’s Senate election, incumbent Sen. Tom Harkin, does not. Harkin is expected to show up for the president’s remarks at the World Pork Expo at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, where Harkin has a booth. However, Harkin aides said Thursday night that White House officials told Harkin he could not appear with the President because he did not vote for the tax cut. White House officials confirmed that Harkin was not invited. ‘Sen. Harkin didn’t support tax relief for hard- working Iowa families,’ said Scott Stanzel, a White House spokesman. Harkin aides questioned how Bush could refuse to invite Democrats to a nonpartisan event paid for with tax money. White House officials said they invited members of Congress who backed Bush on tax relief.” Harkin “said Thursday he would support a higher exemption for estates to benefit farms or closely held businesses but not a total repeal.”

The Frontrunner (6/7) reports Ganske issued a statement saying, “With the repeal of the death tax, Iowa’s family farmers would no longer be forced to sell their farms or other businesses to come up with the cash they need to pay death taxes when a loved one dies. The death tax is an unfair burden on Iowa’s hard-working farmers and small businesses owners. We should be encouraging Iowans to save and invest so our businesses and farms can be stronger and we can create new jobs.” The Ganske campaign said Citizens for a Sound Economy reports “the death tax is the number one reason small and minority-owned businesses and family farms are broken up and sold to large corporations.”