Coverage Suggestion

Since for decades I made “angle” and “coverage tactics” recommendations to journalists as a news consultant, I just can’t contain myself.

The Republicans have linked killing the inheritance tax to giving life to a raise in the minimum wage. Tricky devils. Since the inheritance tax affects a very small number of very wealthy people and in the process has a large effect on growing our national debt so it exacerbates two problems; the other being the growing gap between the incomes of the poor and the rich, a bad thing.

The federal minimum wage affects several million of our lowest income citizens. It does nothing to speak of to the national debt. It (ever so slightly) decreases the rich/poor gap, a good thing.

So here’s the coverage suggestion, news people. Pick five rich people representative of those benefited by killing the inheritance tax. See how much money their heirs would gain by not paying the tax. The compare that amount with how many folks making minimum wage would be benefited by the same sum taken as an increase in their 40 hour work week’s wages. And you might point out which category of people experience the most real benefit from this sum.

It’s akin to pointing out that billion dollars is a thousand millions (see down in the blog). It just puts things into perspective.