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Would a Universal Inheritance Improve American Lives?
Newsmax ^

Posted on 02/22/2026 9:22:50 AM PST by DIRTYSECRET

If people have property when they die, who should inherit it? You can't take it with you.

Increased inequality reduces government's concern for the general welfare.

The public owns all natural resources in common and no one deserves more than an equal share of their fruits. The Alaskan oil dividend could be a model here.

Inheritance reform would not eliminate billionaires; it would only eliminate hereditary billionaires.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: communism; newsmacks; paulfdelespinasse; redistribution
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To: DIRTYSECRET
The first principle applies here: Deceased persons' property was not created by those remaining alive.

Really? What about a man who creates a company and hires his son to work in the mail room? The company grows and the son learns all aspects of the company and, when his Dad retires, he runs and grows the company. After 20 years of growth under his son, the Dad dies. The author says the company is now taken away from the son and distributed to everyone else in the country even though many of them haven't worked a day in their life. Does this clown think people would work 15 hour work-days for 40 years just to turn it all over to other people. This country would shred itself to death if such a plan was attempted.

41 posted on 02/22/2026 10:01:59 AM PST by econjack
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To: DIRTYSECRET

WUT? Oh, simply tax the rich folks.....


42 posted on 02/22/2026 10:02:28 AM PST by rktman (Destroy America from within? On hold! Enlisted USN 1967 proudly. 🚫💉! 🇮🇱🙏! Winning currently!)
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To: rktman

‘Til there are no rich no more.


43 posted on 02/22/2026 10:02:59 AM PST by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: TexasGator

So? He still grew the company by reinvesting in it.


44 posted on 02/22/2026 10:03:41 AM PST by econjack
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To: DIRTYSECRET

His idea is Marxism 101. Nothing in American history points to confiscation of inheritances of rich families. Stop the abuse of “Foundations”, sure. Normal taxes at normal rates, sure. But government confiscation and distribution of property when a wealth person dies? Lunacy.

Last month’s article from this “conservative” glittering jewel of ignorance;
“Ending Birthright Citizenship Would Insult Rule of Law”


45 posted on 02/22/2026 10:04:35 AM PST by DesertRhino (When men on the chessboard, get up and tell you where to go…)
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To: DIRTYSECRET

This is inevitable, along with Universal Basic Income, as a consequence of AI.


46 posted on 02/22/2026 10:06:35 AM PST by montag813
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To: Alberta's Child

**Imagine how much differently this country would operate if people like Bill Gates, Jeff Zuckerberg, the Waltons, and Warren Buffett were obligated to have their children serve in the junior officer corps in the U.S. military before they could inherit the family’s wealth.**

My friend it does happen. Unfortunately it’s the exception rather than the rule. Think Viet Nam. Of all the military age sons of congressmen during that time only one went there. I heard it on the radio decades ago. Mighta been Al Gore. A journalist in Saigon he had his own personal bodyguard.


47 posted on 02/22/2026 10:08:20 AM PST by DIRTYSECRET
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To: DIRTYSECRET

There was a trick played in the not too distant passed that changed everything. For decades, maybe even a century, the value of a corporations stock was determined as a multiple of the dividend it paid. Kind of like P/E or EPS today. The wealthy would complain that it was “double taxation” because the corporate income would be taxed and then they would be taxed as regular income on the dividends they received.

Then a company (allegedly FedEx) figured out that they could retain the earnings, the value of the stock would increase, the investor could pick when he sold and then be taxed at the lower capital gains rate.

We interrupt this narrative for a short shameful confession: I confess that I used have a soft spot in my heart for Bill Clinton. When he lowered the capital gains rate from 28% to 20% in 1997 it allowed me to dump some stock and pocket almost a quarter million dollars. And that was a lot of money in those days.

So nowadays it is rare for any corporation to pay a dividend and for those that do it is mostly a token gesture. The exploitation of retained earnings and lower cap gains tax has led to the calls by progressives for a “wealth tax.” That is a really bad idea that of course sounds good to a liberal.

What would work and be more fair is flat tax on EVERYTHING. All income streams treated the same with NO difference between capital gains and dividends. Coupled with a confiscatory tax rate on corporate retained earnings above a certain level should ameliorate the problem.


48 posted on 02/22/2026 10:08:27 AM PST by atomic_dog
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To: DIRTYSECRET

My friend it does happen. Unfortunately it’s the exception rather than the rule. Think Viet Nam. Of all the military age sons of congressmen during that time only one went there. I heard it on the radio decades ago. Mighta been Al Gore. A journalist in Saigon he had his own personal bodyguard.


I ain’t no Senator’s son.


49 posted on 02/22/2026 10:10:23 AM PST by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: DIRTYSECRET

Its basically impossible to do this. All you have to do is create a corporation for owning the business, like an LLC or Trust. Make your beneficiaries the owner of the LLC or Trust, and when you die ... they already own it. To completely undo current laws around this would be pretty close to impossible without taking away a businesses right to own another business.


50 posted on 02/22/2026 10:11:32 AM PST by RainMan ((Democrats ... making war against America since April 12, 1861))
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To: Leaning Right
... but under all the fancy arguments it seemed kinda commie to me.

If Karl Marx was fancy ...

Pure commie.

51 posted on 02/22/2026 10:11:37 AM PST by gloryblaze
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To: DIRTYSECRET

The problem is not inheritances, it’s a rigged game with the Epstein class busily tickling each others arseholes.
Lutnick is an example. His family is clearing 10 billion on shorting the tariffs that he structured in the most likely way they would be overturned. It’s Kushner lined up to make a billion on the Gaza project. It’s Pelosi making her fortune on insider trading. It’s the privileged life of living off the largesse of NGOs sucking at the government tit. It’s Chelsea Clinton getting a very well paid media no-show job.

There are a thousand ethical reforms that need to be done to stop the spread of inequality... but preventing the local plumber, dentist or rancher who wants to leave his home and business to his kids ain’t the way.


52 posted on 02/22/2026 10:13:20 AM PST by DesertRhino (When men on the chessboard, get up and tell you where to go…)
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To: DIRTYSECRET

Perfect restatement of socialistic principles where all is owned by all and noone owns anything.


53 posted on 02/22/2026 10:14:36 AM PST by DugwayDuke (Most pick the expert who says the things they agree with.)
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To: PeterPrinciple

“God set it up, but we never followed it.”

Thank God it was never implemented! It’s far worst than what Marx came up with.

The penchant to equate equality with justice has been a human virus forever and it still infects the human race.

And whenever we let it get out of control it has caused nothing but immense suffering.

Can you imagine the level of starvation from just this one idiotic idea?

“Agricultural work ceased, giving the land a sabbatical rest similar to the weekly Sabbath”

So what do people eat for a year?


54 posted on 02/22/2026 10:15:00 AM PST by aquila48 (Do not let them make you "care" ! Guilting you is how they control you. )
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To: RainMan

GALT’S GULCH WILL BE VERY BUSY


55 posted on 02/22/2026 10:15:56 AM PST by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: econjack
"So? He still grew the company by reinvesting in it."


56 posted on 02/22/2026 10:18:17 AM PST by TexasGator (1/1X11111.1~I11:/)
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To: PeterPrinciple
Most of he early billionaires did a lot of REAL good for society. Libraries, drinking fountains, orphanages, etc. It is interesting what they did. Charity was personal both large and small.

Today's billionaires actually do great harm with their "philanthropy."

Warren Buffett handed his money to the Gates, who handed theirs to Planned Parenthood, eugenics groups, refugee "resettlement," and other leftist organizations that promote the destruction of the West.

Jeff Bezos' ex-wife handed tens of billions to BLM, Tides, abortion, LGBT crap, etc. NOTHING of use to Americans at large. Only destructive, and usually corrupt and thieving Marxist NGOs.

57 posted on 02/22/2026 10:18:46 AM PST by montag813
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To: dfwgator

**There will always be an Ambition Gap. Some people want to rule the world, others are happy just to get some scraps thrown their way.
In Communist countries, if you had ambition, The Party was the only way to go.**

Very good. It’s like the quest to build a better mousetrap or finding the cure for the common cold-ongoing.

As for the scraps there will always be folks coming up with the carrot and stick approach to help those who don’t want the help. Should homeless encampments be moved to the outskirts of town so that us clean folk can go about our business easier? The known propensity of dirty needles laying around would suggest it’s necessary. I say put those people near animal shelters. Give them something to do.


58 posted on 02/22/2026 10:19:18 AM PST by DIRTYSECRET
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To: DIRTYSECRET

ICE protest circuses paid with Soros’ bread.


59 posted on 02/22/2026 10:21:15 AM PST by lastchance (Cognovit Dominus qui sunt eius.)
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To: All

I don’t care if the children of the super rich use their inheritance to buy a new yacht
I do care if they spend their money on buying politicians.


60 posted on 02/22/2026 10:23:10 AM PST by escapefromboston (Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.)
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