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Wait a second! You mean to tell me that the statement, "[t]he North was jealous of Southern prosperity..." is either a myth or propaganda?

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Most people think I am pure German because of my temperament and last name. And I look at mayself as a high tech displaced Amishman. In fact, my Mother was Southern Scotch-Irish and that side of the family can be traced at least to the 1700s. My great grandfather or granduncle owned a sizable proportion of the state of Alabama. It was said one could ride for two and one half days without leaving his land. There was probably only room for 20 men like him in the state. He was a virtual King. When he died his estate was still worth

millions even after the civil war. My old cantankerous grand-aunt refused to claim the estate so it reverted to the state of Alabama as unclaimed property..

Historians and vacationers go down there and see those plantation houses and slave quarters and believe that's what the South was. That's what the South was for about one or two percent of the population. The average southerner had very little. It's just a fact.

When he died his estate was still worth millions even after the civil war. My old cantankerous grand-aunt refused to claim the estate so it reverted to the state of Alabama as unclaimed property..

You're serious? We have something extremely comparible in my family, only the land wasn't sold or released. My great-great grandfather received a sizeable portion of land from his former slaveowner. This man's progeny actually helped to keep this land in my great-great grandfather's name.

The land was apportioned among several children after his death. The portion my great-grandfather owned was leased to cotton and rice farmers throughout the years. He was a barber.

My grandfather, rdb1 (if you will) who was a barber as well, continued to lease this land that he became owner over. Of course, it was far smaller than the original. At any rate, he set his will to grant portions of this land to his children and grandchildren. He died before I was born. Nevertheless, I still own 275 acres of land in eastern Arkansas thanks to him. When rdb2 goes to glory, this "estate" will grow again.

So, as you can see, when I say that I'm extremely for the end of the death-tax I speak from verifiable knowledge. If these taxes had not been paid over the years, there's no way this land would have came to me 100+ years after the fact.

Looking at what you're written here, it stands to reason that I'd never let these 275 acres go. It is a hedge, albeit small, that is nice to hold. America's financial future is uncertain, especially for those of us in my field.

Your citations of Mulally's comments remind me of some pompous old Southern Aristocrat nut case going on about infant baptism, predestination, being a direct descendent of King Charles I and Charlemagne, the specialness and superiority of Southern culture and the absolute necessity of the "peculiar institution" due to the uniquely unique historical, political, and social development of the South, all being pre-ordained by God Himself as evidenced by the unique Southern climate and virtuous temperment of the noble descendents of Cavaliers who He determined would settle the South.