FreedomWorks

Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) may cast one of a few critical votes that kills the death tax once and for all!

The House of Representative recently passed a bill—H.R. 8—that would kill the death tax once and for all. Although the measure has passed with broad bipartisan support in the House, the Senate has traditionally been a sticking point for death tax repeal. That’s because a few liberal legislators have kept this important proposal—titled S. 420 in the Senate—from becoming law. And while Democrats traditionally support the death tax, Sen. Pryor indicates on his website that he supports “the permanent repeal of an estate tax that harms small businesses and family farms”.

The death tax made our federal government the most notorious grave robber in Arkansas. In the year before President Bush’s 2001 economic growth package began the gradual reduction of estate tax payments, the IRS claimed over $155 million from Arkansas taxpayers in the name of the death tax. And if the Senate does not act now and pass permanent death tax repeal, this onerous levy will come back in 2011 to eat away at hard-earned family legacies.

Ending the estate tax will also help Arkansas’ economy. Because heirs of family businesses and farms often can’t afford to pay the death tax, over 70 percent of family businesses don’t make it past the first generation. And even if these businesses survive, the death tax acts as a penalty on savings and investment. Killing the death tax would make life easier for small businesses and farms, allowing them to create jobs and spur economic growth.

A number of principled conservative senators came to Washington at the beginning of this year, but the battle to kill the death tax in the Senate is still expected to be tough. Fortunately, Sen. Pryor understands how the death tax hurts family farms and businesses! That’s why we need you to let Senator Pryor know that Arkansas supports his position to permanently repeal the estate tax. Use our automatic email system to contact Senator Pryor today, and remind him how critical it is that he supports S. 420 and any other measure that completely repeals the death tax.

The death tax is not only immoral—it destroys small businesses and farms in Arkansas. Remind Sen. Mark Pryor that the government does not have the right to tax anyone upon death.

Sincerely,

Dick Armey
FreedomWorks