They have enough money to pay the litany of attorneys it takes to set up Foundations for their pet causes.....and then hire their friends and family (Gates, at least)....
You are so right! I have gone through the Gates Foundations financial records (you can see them at their website) and guess what? In charitable contributions, the Gates' don't even spend the yearly *interest* that is collected on their fortune, let alone the estate capital itself. In fact, they spend $92 million a year just to administer the estate!
This is looking more and more like a permanent jobs program for Gates family members for many generations to come, with NO estate taxes paid! Bill Gates' father is a total hypocrite on the estate tax!
Since the rest of us get taxed to make up for lost tax revenues, why should the U.S. Government pass up billions of dollars in taxes so that the truly rich can give that money to their pet causes?
Gates and Buffet have publicly spoken against repealing estate taxes for the rest of us.
Fine.
Then let's also repeal estate tax exceptions for the Foundations of the super-rich.
Paying estate taxes is voluntary. You can give away all your money to charity and pay none. Don't have to be a billionaire to do that.