Jim Martin, “No one in Montana has done more to keep alive the death tax that destroys family farms and ranches then Senator Max Baucus.  Who does he think he’s fooling?  As Finance Committee Chairman he could introduce a repeal bill today and the death tax would be buried by sundown.”

(Alexandria, Virginia) – A $275,000 TV ad buy purchased on behalf of Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) falsely portrays the Senate Finance Committee Chairman as a champion of Montana farmers and ranchers for supporting a ‘permanent exemption’ from the punitive death tax, when under the new law thousands of family farms and ranches in Montana remain vulnerable to the death tax.

60 Plus Association Chairman and Founder, one of the leading proponents of permanent death tax repeal for more than 20 years,  responded forcefully to what he described as a “totally deceitful ad,” noting that Baucus has told his Montana constituents he supports repealing the tax, while actually defending it in Washington.  Baucus as Finance Chairman has never introduced legislation to kill the death tax, and refused to co-sponsor Senator John Thune’s (R-SD) legislation to do the same.

Said Martin, “This ad patting Baucus on the back regarding the death tax could not be more misleading or deceitful, and every Montana farmer and rancher will soon know the truth. 
As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, no single Senator in the United States Senate has as much power to kill the death tax than Senator Baucus.  Since his party controls the Senate and he is Chairman of the committee with jurisdiction, Baucus could introduce repeal legislation today and the death tax would be buried by sundown.  Who does he think he’s fooling?

“After all, total repeal has already passed the House by a wide margin, with more than 40 Democrats voting for repeal, yet Sen. Baucus does nothing.  Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and others have pushed legislation to kill the death tax, and Sen. Baucus does nothing.  He’s not defending rural Montanans, he’s giving aid and comfort to the death tax, leaving it right where it is.

“Just like Senator Baucus, the ‘Stronger Montana Fund’ has no interest in killing the death tax OR protecting farmers and ranchers, this is just political cover for an upcoming election.  Just think.  Every six years, along about election time Baucus gets ‘hot to trot’ for repeal, then does nothing to follow through.  Baucus is a typical liberal politician who talks ‘right’ when home, but votes ‘left’ in Washington.  He’s no friend to family farmers and ranchers, he’s just another politician who has mastered the art of deceit.

“Senator Baucus, you may have won the support of your liberal colleagues in the U.S. Senate and President Obama, but you aren’t fooling the people of Montana.  The death tax is alive and well because you’ve helped keep it that way, and it is waiting to strike the unfortunate families of Montana who will see their homes, farms and ranches cut up and sold off to pay a 40% death tax rate.  By the way, before the 40% rate passed, you also endorsed a 45% death tax rate, so you have a lot of explaining to do.

“This phony ad is the most transparent of hoaxes, so rest assured that the 60 Plus Association and our nearly 15,000 Montana senior citizen activists plan to work overtime so that Montanans know the truth.  Stay tuned, Montana farmers, ranchers and small businesses.  We will not let the good people of the Treasure State be fooled by this deceitful ad.”

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