Death to the ‘death tax’
Paul Clinton
Rep. Chris Cox’s dogged effort to eliminate the estate tax bore fruit
Wednesday, as the House passed a proposal he has been carrying since
1993.
In a 264-163 vote, the House approved a full repeal of the tax on
inheritances, which would go into effect in 2010.
In 2001, Congress passed a partial repeal of the “death tax,” as
it has been dubbed by opponents. The tax was first implemented after
the Civil War as a way to pay off the country’s war debts.
“The death tax is the opposite of a ‘sin’ tax, it is a ‘virtue’
tax,” Cox said in a statement. “Hard-working American men and women
who spend a lifetime providing for their children and grandchildren
should be encouraged to save, invest and continue to work if they
choose. But the death tax punishes such virtuous behavior.”
Saluting the flag, GOP style
A who’s who list of Orange County Republicans attended a rally in
Costa Mesa on Saturday at the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel.
The $150-per-plate dinner, which kicked off at 6 p.m., was billed
as a Flag Day Salute to Freedom.
Reps. Cox, Dana Rohrabacher, Darrell Issa (R-Vista), Ed Royce
(R-Fullerton), Gary Miller (R-Diamond Bar) and Ken Calvert
(R-Riverside) attended. They were joined by a host of other elected
officials that included state Sen. Ross Johnson, Assemblymen John
Campbell and Ken Maddox, Supervisors Jim Silva and Tom Wilson and
Republican Party of Orange County Chairman Tom Fuentes.
Former gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon, conservative radio
personality Hugh Hewitt and GOP fund-raiser Buck Johns also attended.
Cox meets with Iraqi dissident
Cox, the House Policy Committee chairman, met with Iraqi dissident
Ahmed Chalabi on Thursday in Washington, D.C.
Chalabi, the chairman of the Iraqi National Congress and the
world’s most recognized opponent of the now-deposed regime of Saddam
Hussein, made his third appearance before the committee since 1998.
Cox and then-International Relations Chairman Rep. Ben Gilman
(R-New York) wrote the Iraq Liberation Act after testimony from
Chalabi and other exiles of that country.
Chalabi spoke about the effort to rebuild his shattered homeland
and the creation of a democratic government in Iraq.
The meeting came at a time when U.S. troops are working to restore
basic functional elements in Iraq, such as hospitals, roads and other
infrastructure. President George W. Bush has appointed L. Paul Bremer
as the country’s provisional governor.
Face off at the Newport Beach Golf Course
Two gun-issue watchers slugged it out June 11 during a debate held
in Costa Mesa.
The California Republican Assembly hosted the “no holds barred
exchange,” as the group described the event. It was held at the
Newport Beach Golf Course.
In the gun-rights corner was Jeff Greene, a legislative aide to
Assemblyman Ray Haynes (R-Temecula) and publisher of the Senate
Republican Caucus’ newsletter “Gun Control Watch List.”
In the gun-control corner was Charles Blek, the Orange County
chairman of the Million Mom March with the Brady Campaign. Blek is
also a member of the Lincoln Club of Orange County, a GOP
fund-raising group.
DeVore makes it official
Even though he has been informally running for a seat for at least
a month, Assembly candidate Chuck DeVore formally kicked off his
campaign last week at a fund-raiser.
DeVore held his event at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Chinatown
restaurant in Irvine.
About 60 supporters attended the two-hour event. DeVore would not
say how much he raised for his run for the 70th Assembly District
seat.
Supervisor Chris Norby showed up to rally the crowd, DeVore said.
“It exceeded expectations, largely due to Norby,” DeVore said
Monday about the event. “He was able to raise several thousand more
dollars on the spot.”
DeVore, a Republican Party activist and aerospace executive, is
running against Anaheim businesswoman and Corona del Mar resident
Cristi Cristich, former Newport Beach City Councilwoman Marianne
Zippi and Irvine businessman Don Wagner.
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