One Hundred Years Old and Still Raising a Fuss

Next to establishing the national park system, the federal estate tax was our government's best idea a century ago. Or was it? According to the Tax Foundation, the estate tax may shave almost one percentage point off GNP over the next decade. 

Harvard's N. Gregory Mankiw asserts the estate tax is unfair:

Consider the story of two couples. Both start family businesses when they are young. They work hard, and their businesses prosper beyond anything they expected. When they reach retirement age, both couples sell their businesses. After paying taxes on the sale, they are each left with a sizable nest egg of, say, $20 million, which they plan to enjoy during their golden years. 

Then the stories diverge. One couple, whom I’ll call the Frugals, live modestly. Mr. and Mrs. Frugal don’t scrimp, but they watch their spending. They recognize how lucky they have been, and they want to share their success with their children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces. 

The other couple, whom I’ll call the Profligates, have a different view of their wealth. They earned it, and they want to enjoy every penny of it themselves. Mr. and Mrs. Profligate eat at top restaurants, drink rare wines, drive flashy cars and maintain several homes. They spend their time sailing the Caribbean in their opulent yacht and flying their private jet from one luxury resort to the next. 

So here’s the question: How should the tax burdens of the two couples compare? Under an income tax, the couples would pay the same, because they earned the same income. Under a consumption tax, Mr. and Mrs. Profligate would pay more because of their lavish living (though the Frugals’ descendants would also pay when they spend their inheritance). But under our current system, which combines an income tax and an estate tax, the Frugal family has the higher tax burden. To me, this does not seem right.

Almost all commenters on Mankiw's column were pro estate tax. Some considered frugality un-American. 

Teddy Roosevelt, godfather of the national parks (and a Republican), advocated a stiff, highly progressive estate tax.  The national parks were a really good idea. The estate tax? That issue is far from settled.

Below, Teddy on a visit to Yellowstone. More early national park photos here.