death tax

inheritance tax. When conservatives tried to repeal the estate tax, thus benefiting the wealthy far more than those without large estates, voters didn't care for the idea. The general feeling seemed to be, "Let those rich folks pay taxes. Fine by me!" So Fred Luntz, conservative wordsmith extraordinaire, came up with the term "death tax." Since everyone was going to die eventually, it seemed a good idea to get rid of the death tax. And they did. However, this term is not accurate. Death is not taxed, property is taxed. Death tax should only be used as an example of spinning and inaccuracy.