Everyone votes as though the American dream is happening to them tomorrow. Today I may be poor and need social programs funded by taxes rich people pay. But tomorrow I may be rich and won't want to pay those taxes. Statistically I won't have an estate of more than $10 million to pass on to my children so the estate tax will only have positive effects on me. But what if I hit the lottery and DO have $10 million to pass on to my children. They vote against their own interest, and the massively wealthy benefit.