Readers, you're awake to the horrors of the Federal Government, our rapidly-declining GDP and ever-increasing debts.  Trillions of dollars have been stolen, in the form of appropriations and programs that funnel directly from the tax-base: the fat "cash-cow" that the government suckles from.  The taxes are life-sustaining to the government juggernaut, managed by the ever self-serving "representatives" of Congress who approve pay raises for themselves, immunity from prosecution from (what was formerly) insider trading, and exonerate themselves from any and all ethics violations.

Taxes keep the government going, keep the system emplaced and you the citizen in your place, from birth to death.  The website ivn.us reports the breakdown for the federal government's feedings:

Personal income taxes               47.4%

Corporate income taxes             34.1%

Social insurance taxes                9.9%

Tariffs/gas taxes/fees                 8.5%

Ben Franklin summarized the position of the average citizen two centuries ago:

"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."

Franklin was correct; however, he should have reversed the order, because taxes can both bring on death and still haunt the deceased after their passing.  The best example of this is the death tax, where a person's estate is assessed after their death.  Their heirs better pay the tax man!  Yes, how exactly does all of that work?  The deceased individual worked all of their lives, paying income taxes both federal and state, paying off their house and mortgage, paying their property tax.

If they paid for their house in full, and all related property taxes, then why is it assessed for a death tax?

The death tax is labeled conveniently as an "inheritance tax," much in the manner that conquest and possession of more property is done by a municipality.  Labeled aseptically as "annexation," it is where the nabobs of the "grand council" of the municipality vote to take for themselves (sorry, the municipality) more land/territory.  It's all within their laws, and everyone smiles and pays the additional taxes happily ever after.

This year more than $3.4 trillion in federal taxes are estimated to be taken in by the federal government.  Add to this the $1.5 trillion in local and state taxes, and this figure amounts to more than 31% of the nation's income.  Meanwhile look at the tax dodges that the Clinton's perform, such as the multiple-listed addresses for corporations in the state of Delaware, and the undeclared revenues for their books and speaking engagements.