Congress is due to vote on the elimination of the estate tax, and may have enough support to do so. It would be a foolish act, particularly at this time of national distress. A lot of money will be needed for recovery along the Gulf Coast.

We are currently in a fiscal hole. In order to balance the books, the nation must borrow heavily from foreign sources – a bad idea.

We got into this bind by foolishly reducing taxes, giving most of the benefit to those who already have more than enough, and by getting into a foolish war, the cost of which has become very great, financially as well as in lives.

Besides further reducing tax revenues at this critical time, eliminating the estate tax would be unfair to the majority of Americans. It would encourage the establishment of a permanent leisure class, which is counter to the American ideal.

Latest figures show that the median income has been stagnant for the past four years, although it has risen significantly for the top 5 percent in income. Is that the American way, to continually defer to those who have much at the expense of the rest of the public?

That is poor policy. It is the wrong time to consider a further reduction in federal revenue. Our U.S. senators must do the right thing.

John and Astrid Pehek, Leeds

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